The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has revealed that the federal government has given the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) fifteen billion naira (N15bn) since 2015.
He made this known while submitting the 10-year Football Development Master plan to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, yesterday.
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In his remarks, the sports minister announced that the Buhari-led administration has disbursed over N15 billion to the NFF through budgetary appropriations and Presidential interventions in the last seven years.
In the same vein, Buhari described football as ‘’Our passion and a major tool for unity”, saying it was the responsibility of the government to safeguard the sport, which had brought Nigeria many laurels.
‘’We have seen attempts to disrespect and undermine the institutions supervising our sports. We have seen attempts to subjugate national interest for narrow interest or disrespect the laws of Nigeria. Nigeria will not take lightly any attempt to inflict injury on its football fortunes,’’ he said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina.
President Buhari, who spelt out his expectations from the two-volume report, directed the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to commence its implementation in phases, within the fine lines of relevant sections of the Nigerian laws on sports development and the statutes of the world soccer governing body, FIFA.
He expressed happiness that the Nigeria Football 10-Year Masterplan (2022-2032) identified 15 key areas of challenge and provided practical recommendations to address these fundamental problems that had bedeviled football development in the country.
‘’This government is interested in developing a football culture that will accommodate global best practices that will also help the nation to lay a solid foundation for her domestic football, put in place professionally and efficiently run leagues, entrench a consistent and stable football calendar and create a value chain which will boost the sports ecosystem.”
By Jide Olusola and Muideen Olaniyi
