The Nigeria Football Federation members have clearly stated that they are yet to receive money from the Ministry of Youth and Sports as it affects the matches the Super Eagles played against the Pharaohs of Egypt in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series. The PUNCH learnt that the NFF team had to seek alternative means of raising the funds for the games played in Kaduna and Alexandria last month contrary to expectations.
Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, said in Abuja late on Friday that the N480m reportedly released by the sports minister, Solomon Dalung, was just a part of the funds that had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for Nigeria’s participation in the FIFA U17 World Cup Chile 2015; the Eagles’ 2018 World Cup qualifying matches against Swaziland; the U23 Eagles participation in the Africa U23 Cup of Nations in Senegal and the Eagles B participation in the African Nations Championship, Rwanda 2016.
Yahaya-Kwande, also a member of the House of Representatives wrote, “We did a memo to the Honourable Minister based on our needs and exigencies for the matches we played against Egypt, and we believe this will be approved. The N480 million that was reported is part of the monies approved by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari for various competitions and matches that we had prosecuted earlier, and which were appropriated for.
“There was also a report about coaches’ salaries. The truth, which the Honourable Minister himself explained to the media in Abuja a couple of weeks ago, is that the money the NFF gets from Government does not include coaches’ salaries. The NFF pays the coaches from sponsorship money, and this was not designed by the present NFF Board; it is a practice we met on ground.
“We have the money to pay the coaches. The NFF sent the mandates to the banks to pay the coaches about two weeks ago, but the Giwa group wrote to the banks to say they had a court order, which in itself is criminal and untenable. There is no court order telling Giwa he is president of NFF; it is very important to make that clarification. We have called on the Honourable Minister to call these fellows to order (sic), but we are resolving the matter with the banks so that the coaches can get their salaries.”
On the NFF new building, Yahaya-Kwande, who is also Chairman of NFF Finance Committee, said, “The Tenders Board approved that, following the one hundred percent compliance with due process, the NFF should pay the sum of N27m as part-payment of mobilization fee to the contractors handling the renovation of the Federation’s new headquarters, Sunday Dankaro House.
“The money was not for ‘painting’; we have to put that on record. It is part-payment of mobilization fee for the extensive renovation works.
“There is a new policy direction in the NFF whereby every money we receive, even from our partners and sponsors, we inform the Honourable Minister and also inform our auditors (PriceWaterHouse Coopers) and our financial consultants (Financial Derivatives). This is in line with our vision to entrench transparency and accountability in the Federation.”