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When the immediate past Minister for Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung disclosed that the Super Eagles will be strapped for cash in the Egypt AFCON 2019 scheduled to kick off this weekend, it generated mixed feelings ranging from disbelief, shock to anger

Disbelief because the NFF has over the years, boasted about getting numerous sponsors and posted mind boggling figures to that effect, which would make anyone believe that they don’t have money issues anymore

Shock because the NFF had recently declared itself, self sufficient and reliant, thanks to the sponsorship packages it has garnered all over the place, running into tens if not hundreds of millions of Nairas

Then anger at the fact that the NFF has been lying with a straight face about it not having money problems, as well as the humongous figures quoted to be realised from their sponsors as none of that reflects on the National teams.

In panic and clearly an uninformed attempt to cover-up its deficiencies as usual, the NFF through Hon Yahaya-Kwande, the NFF Executive Committee member and Chairman of Media and Publicity Committee, issued a document which originally was intended to ridicule Barr Dalung, only to end up further incriminating the NFF on the following grounds:

*1. Failed Leadership*

The document suggests that major competitions are never part of the regular budgets as qualification campaigns are on course when budgets are being prepared and thus rely on  intervention funds. The above statement is indicative of a body that has no vision nor mission clearly mapped out and worked towards, be it quarterly or yearly. Such planlessness and careless leadership, is seen in the absence of set targets for Coaches at tournaments despite paying them outrageous amounts of monies. What will happen if the request for funds through the special intervention funds fall through?

*2. Lack of Integrity*

If the NFF had integrity, nothing stops it from planning for the competitions in-lieu of qualification. In that way, monies are available to execute it but if qualification is missed, the NFF will remit that same monies back to the Ministry down to the last kobo

*3. 100% Reliance on the Ministry*

Despite the public bravado and fake show of independence, the NFF has publicly admitted to relying heavily on the Ministry and Minister for funds as it is the Minister, who has to convince the Senate and FG to spare money from the intervention funds for the NFF.

*Kindly note that the intervention funds are only meant for National emergencies eg. Flooding, epidemic, war, terrorism, insurgency and other hands of god, beyond human anticipation as at the time of passing the budget.*

It is now clear that the qualification for any event, is not captured and never included in the special intervention funds ab initio which is why it takes a special hearing by a Senate Committee, to debate the risks involved in short changing our backup funds for such situations and giving them to the NFF. The Minister does all the hard work here not the NFF Leadership.

*4. Lack of Patriotism*

By intentionally targeting our special intervention funds which would be used as aid and relief in cases needed, the NFF consciously puts the lives of Nigerians at risk by taking funds meant for such situations to cover up for its inability to think beyond its nose.

*5. Trumped up figures*

If the NFF now achieves 60% of funds independently, then how much is so big that it cannot be incorporated into the Ministry’s budget and released to it when needed without interfering with the Special intervention fund? It doesn’t make sense at all.

In the light of the above, the most important question of all we should be asking is this:

Since when exactly did the NFF start relying on Special Intervention Funds to function?

Perhaps if we can decode that, then we can better understand why they deliberately skip presenting a budget for major events, only to target these funds cause once it comes to the NFF,  a rat is always smelling, most especially, under this present leadership

©Ugochukwu ‘Lord Thanos Verbinski’ Ifeanyi’
Sports Personality
Nnewichi Nnewi
Anambra State
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