NFF refutes Dalung’s veiled accusations, says he’s misinformed

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, is misinformed over the finances of the football body.

The NFF was reacting to an outburst by the minister at the Annual General Assembly of the Federation on Sunday.

While declaring open the annual meeting in Lagos, Dalung ordered the probe of the finances of the Federation, after disclosing that he received a report that the world football governing body FIFA has suspended any grants to Nigeria until the FA properly accounts for the $1.1 million already paid to them.

“I received a report from the NFF intimating me of FIFA’s audit Report which raised queries on the management of $1.1 Million FIFA’s development grant to the NFF. According to the Report, FIFA has withheld all development funds to Nigeria for lack of proper documentation of $802,000 out of the funds released to NFF,” Dalung said.

“To this end, the NFF is directed to immediately provide my office with detail information of receipt, disbursement and application of the FIFA development grant accordingly.

“In addition, a reputable audit firm should be appointed urgently to check the account books of the federation to ensure that funds are judiciously expended.

“The audit report must be made public so as to promote transparency, build credibility and enhance your market value,” he added.

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But NFF has reportedly countered the Minister on the alleged misappropriation of the development grant from FIFA and some other issues like division within the Board and late submission of memos, noting that the Minister had not sought clarification from the NFF board prior to the Annual General Assembly.

According to a statement from the NFF, “The Congress expressed satisfaction with the explanation provided by the Executive Committee on a number of issues raised by the Minister of Youth & Sports at the opening ceremony, and submitted that the Minister was misinformed about the activities of the Board.

“Congress noted the submission of the Executive Committee that at no time previously (official or unofficially) did the Minister raise these issues with the NFF leadership to obtain clarification, which the Federation would have gladly provided, just as it did to the House Committee on Sports during a recent sitting on its budget performance and budget proposal. Indeed, the audited account of the Federation for the year, as audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, an internationally reputable audit firm, was presented and adopted at the General Assembly,” the statement read.

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