Lagos State Football Association, are once again, on the threshold of football history, as the board of the FA led by Hajji Gafar Liameed at the Ivory Health Club, Ikeja, Lagos met with well over 100 football league club representatives and stakeholders, as several issues concerning the development of football in the State as gathered by Nigeriasoccernet.com.
Towards engendering a progressive, results-oriented and sustainable football ecosystem, the Lagos FA was able douse rising concerns, amongst the state football operators on inadequate sports facilities in the state.
In what could be described as a diplomatic masterstroke by Hajji Gafar and his able board members, they were quick to dissuade the football operators and other stakeholders, who had planned to storm the Lagos State Governor's office in Alausa, Ikeja, with over 5,000 footballers in protest over lack of football stadia, which they claimed is mitigating football business in the state.
While the FA was able to make the aggrieved football operators to sign a letter of appeal to the His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, which he promised would be delivered to the office of Director-General of Lagos State Sports Commission, for onwards submission to the State Governor.
The Lagos FA also revealed another set of its epochal initiatives to the excited guests at the meeting. It stated that the LSFA is bent on setting a benchmark for football business to thrive in the state.
According to Hajji Liameed, the LSFA are working on modalities that would ensure that football clubs operate according to global best practices, which includes, regular payments of salaries to players and coaches, as the clubs would be enjoined to take part in its planned 'Football Clubs Indemnity Account', for all football league teams based in the state. Which is an unprecedented initiative in football administration in the country.
It is revealed its plans to ensure that the welfare of players and coaches are adequately protected, through a workable insurance scheme.
Ahead of its planned Annual General Assembly and Football Townhall Meeting, which is slated for September 21, 2024, LSFA further admonished football operators in the state to always channel their concerns and observations to the board through its secretariat, for prompt and professional support.
One of the attendees at the meeting was renowned football administrator, Godwin Enakhena, praised the present board of the LSFA, for its several impressive initiatives. He went ahead to rally all football stakeholders in the state, to give support to clubs in the state participating in the various cadres of the football leagues in the country.
Credit: LSFA Media