Mercury International has been very instrumental in supporting sporting institutions and other institutions as part of their corporate social responsibility. They have been making enormous contributions to football than any other organizations in the country. Because of their association with football in their business, they have been relentless in promoting the game countrywide.
Due to the current electioneering process in the football family, this reputable company’s name has been misused and abused for the wrong reasons. The Sierra Leone Football Association and the normalization committee in the past weeks have brought in Mercury International into the election process for all the wrong reasons, forgetting that this is the company that has been very instrumental in promoting the game. They have caused embarrassment to the company just because of politics.
I personally believe that Mercury should not have been drawn into this nonsense and the football association who are advising the normalization committee should not have misuse Mercury for their own personal gains. With all the support Mercury has been giving to the FA what have they done to deserve all the pressure and misuse of their name?
Was it wrong for Mercury to help people and football in general in the country? is it wrong for Mercury to associate themselves with people in sport? Now helping sports men and women have caused them to be the focal point in the elections that has nothing to do with them. What an embarrassment to the company.
It is my humble opinion that Mercury should stop all funding and support to football in the country and all debts owed to them by the ministry of sports as well as the FA should be repaid within the shortest possible time demand. There are many other sporting institutions that need help as well as organizations that they can sponsor or support that are far better in developing the country.
I am pleading with the board to rethink their strategy and support to football in the country and start putting their money on better developmental projects in the country that will serve the interest of every Sierra Leonean positively.
I don’t think it is right and ethical for Mercury to be sponsoring football and at the same being embarrassed by the same people they support. The time for them to stand up, protect and defend the company is now. When these officials are going for loan and support they are so humble and void of politics, now they have forgotten all that and putting Mercury into disrepute.
I am begging and pleading to Mercury to STOP all contact with football and concentrate on other sporting disciplines that are in need of financial support. At least they would not be embarrassed and their name would not be misused and abused. Let the football association find another means of support. Before Mercury came to the foe, the FA has been playing football and was having other sponsors, so there will be no problem if Mercury stops supporting them.
I wish Mercury all the best and do hope that they will reconsider their position and turn their attention on other sporting disciplines and institutions that are really in need of financial support.
July 30, 2013
ADVERTISEMENT