NFF DISMISSES REPORT OF N1.5COVID-19 PALLIATIVE FROM FIFA
By Joy Okosieme
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has described a report in the media that it has received the $1.5 million Coronavirus palliative promised members federations from the football governing body, as total falsehood.
The NFF in a statement on Monday quoting Dr Mohammed Sanusi, it’s General Secretary noted that the report reflected a display of ignorance on the part of its writer.
“The FIFA Council approved the sum of $1.5million for each of its Member Associations as palliative for the coronavirus pandemic (COVID19) around the month of July 2020.
“Yet, the writer said the money was paid in May 2020! The report is outright falsehood and yet another pathetic display of ignorance on the part of the writer. The NFF has only received the $500,000 meant for the women’s game, and this fact is very easy to cross-check. A simple mail to FIFA would have cleared this issue, the statement said.
The NFF General Secretary said the FIFA COVID19 palliative is distinct from Operational Cost (annual grant from the football governing body) and is also not the same thing as FIFA Forward money.
“However, in the haste to, once more, go to town with something negative, the writer failed to establish the critical difference between FIFA annual grant and FIFA COVID19 palliative. It is a case of criminal defamation that the NFF will not take lightly,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi said.
He added that the NFF had over the years sustained the habit of sending details of all monies received (even sponsorship funds) to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and that further checks can be made at that establishment.
“FIFA promised to send an initial tranche of $1million ($500,000 for the men’s game and $500,000 for the women’s game) and another payment of $500,0000 in January 2021.
“Of the first tranche, we have only received the $500,000 for the women’s game, while waiting for the other $500,000,” Dr Sanusi said in the statement.
He stated the NFF was also yet to receive the $500,000 palliative promised by Africa’s football ruling body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“We are waiting for these monies so that we can distribute as we have set out in the template approved by the NFF Executive Committee.
“We will also inform the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development once the monies come,”, Dr Sanusi said.
He said the football federation will continue to appreciate the noble work of credible journalists who ask questions for the sake of probity and transparency and for the good of the game but the NFF condems in the strongest terms, the deleterious and despicable activities of “confabulators and mudslingers.”
