ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Football Federation has, for the umpteenth time, appealed to the media to endeavor to be factual in its reporting of the activities of the Federation, insisting that it has nothing against criticisms but the same must be constructive and done without mischief.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi was exasperated on Monday after a national newspaper reported that the Federation received the sum of $110,000 from the organizers of the Suwon U19 Football Tournament, at which the U17 National Team, Golden Eaglets, participated last month.
Another national newspaper, of the same day, reported that NFF President Amaju Pinnick traveled to the United Kingdom for VIP scouting, for which he did a memo and collected money.
“This report is ridiculous. The NFF President did not take money from the Federation to go on the trip. The man used his personal funds to travel so it is unfair to say that his going to United Kingdom was why there was no money for Falconets or Falcons. These kind of reports are discouraging.”
On the story on Suwon tourney, Sanusi said: “I am saddened by the report because the writer called me on phone and I told him the correct situation of things.
“The NFF did not receive any $110,000 from the organizers of the Suwon U19 Tournament. The organizers made public what they would give to the participating teams, and for coming fourth at the competition, the Eaglets were entitled to $10,000, which has not even been paid to the NFF.”
Sanusi again called on the sporting media to be painstaking in order to achieve factual reporting of the NFF, as the impression of many people about the Federation is usually incorrect.
“People assume there is money everywhere here and we are only being unfair not to pay players and coaches. If that is the situation, how come as Management, we cannot pay ourselves even as we are being owed a lot of money?
“One is not saying the media should not report if they have facts that the Federation has the wherewithal and yet is deliberately with-holding the entitlements of players and coaches. However, reporting falsehood and agitating on behalf of persons without having any facts is outright mischief and is condemnable.”
