Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya has challenged the newly established Eastern Region Football Association (ERFA) to be a model Member Association in the transforming the game drive.

Haiya made the remarks on Friday, 20th September 2024 Mpira Village in Blantyre  during an orientation workshop which the FA conducted for ERFA Interim Executive Committee.

The ERFA was admitted as FAM’s Member Association during the 2024 Annual General meeting held in June in Mangochi.

Haiya said it was important to induct the Committee on the management of the game as well as draw a road map on the process to officially detach the Association from Southern Regional Football Association.

“This is a new Committee and as such they have an opportunity to do things right from the word go and  lead as a model MA in transforming the game agenda.

“I have challenged them to be exemplary and run the Association as business and not a social club.  From  the start they need to understand that issues of financial management, marketing, governance are no longer issues of working on social basis”, Haiya Said.

ERFA Interim Executive Committee Chairperson Abdul Chiwalo described the orientation workshop as key to their operations.

“Today’s workshop was very important to us considering that we are a new baby which has emerged after the last Annual General Meeting in Mangochi. To be oriented on how to manage the game including financial management, competitions, marketing and issues to do with governance before we start executing our duties is something commendable indeed” he said.

Chiwalo leads a 12 member committee with Issah Brahim as his vice. Francis Onions is General Secretary deputized by  Elia Nyirongo while treasurer and vice are Perkings Mkondiwa and Brenda Chunga respectively. The  six Committee members Regina Nazombe, Chris Phiri, Gracium Kachingwe. Lemson Kalimbuka, Grecium Kubwalo and Joseph Walani.