Dare reveals Pinnick’s NFF collected N15 billion as controversy trail MTN sponsorship commission
This is outside the grants the NFF have enjoyed from FIFA and CAF as well as sponsorships they have attracted.
By
Abdulgafar Oladimeji
Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Sunday Dare Tuesday revealed that the federal government released the sum of N15 billion to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
This is outside the grants the NFF have enjoyed from FIFA and CAF as well as sponsorships they have attracted.
Dare made the disclosure when presenting the report of the 10 years national football development plan committee at the presidential villa, he revealed that the amount were allegedly released to NFF through appropriation provisions and special interventions.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina quoted the Sports Minister saying that the “ Buhari administration has disbursed over N15 billion to NFF through budgetary appropriations and Presidential interventions in the last seven years.
Dare is reported to have described the 10-year Masterplan, which took the Ibrahim Galadima-led 16-member Committee six months to prepare, as ”a world-class document.”
The Minister added that the submitted plan if strictly complied with will resolve the major issues bordering on the domestication of Nigerian laws, and NFF Statutes in line with FIFA Statutes to create space for harmonious relationships in football value chain of Nigeria.
“The Masterplan is envisioned to encapsulate functional strategies that would outlast the current administration and firmly place Nigerian football on the path to sustainable growth and development.
“Mr. President, with your approval, this document will be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval and future funding, so that the implementation of the short, medium and long term plans can commence as part of the legacies of this administration.
“Thereafter, this document will be handed over to our football administrators, that is the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, who shall be expected to implement key elements of these reports in stages.”
Adesina said “Dare pledged that the Ministry will monitor the faithful implementation of the Masterplan to ensure that attention is paid to the business opportunities along the value chain, governance structure, standardisation, and prioritisation of the welfare of footballers, education and awareness.
“Focus will be on building capacity for sustainable, strategic youth development programmes, efficient club administration, positive stakeholder engagement which would include Referees, Players Union, Coaches Associations, supporters, investors, local and international partnerships and collaborations,” he said.
“Dare also told the President that one of the most important aspects of the Committee’s work is the legal regime around football in Nigeria; and the Masterplan made some far reaching recommendations on laws and statutes governing the administration of football.
“He added that subject to the final decision of the NFF Congress, the Masterplan made recommendations for the expansion of the constituents for the NFF Elective Congress and Executive Board to 111 and 16 respectively, in order to meet new realities and needs.
Meanwhile, It is no longer news that the NFF are swallowed in debts running to over 1.5 Billion Naira, but the poor finances of the football federation have been worsened by various underhand dealings to do with the sponsorships they have managed to attract.
Investigations by www.insideglasshouse.com alleged that the marketing agency that brokered the MTN sponsorship has been paid all its commissions for the four years that the deal will run.
That was on the approval of the NFF leadership.
“It’s criminal and unethical,” a top official lamented.
That will explain why General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi understated the worth of the MTN sponsorship as well as various other sponsors of the NFF before the National Assembly last year November.
The MTN deal is worth 500 Million Naira a year as was announced at the media presentation that was attended by Sports Minister Sunday Dare in Lagos.
However, Sanusi shamelessly went before the National Assembly to tell them that the deal is 250 Million-a-year and that the leading telecoms company had even yet to pay up.
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