NFF: Minister demands transparency, stays away from corruption probe

A meeting of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development ended at the weekend with the federation being asked to clean up its acts and address the negative perception around its activities. 

The ministry also indicated it will not interfere with how the nation’s anti-graft agencies do their work as it pertains to the ongoing investigation of some NFF board members. 

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, who handed down the prescription at the meeting, noted that the perception of corruption around NFF and its seeming lack of seriousness is hurting the sport. 

He stressed that beyond cleaning up its acts the “NFF needs to be more transparent in the way it conducts its affairs. 

“The perception is that the NFF is corrupt. The perception is that of unseriousness; this perception is hurting the sport. 

“We need to reset the perception, the charge of corruption and other negative things can be turned around by embracing transparency.

“The  executive board (of NFF) should learn to do things differently, the Minister will not interfere with EFCC or ICPC since it is important to allow these organizations follow their own due processes. We must allow them to do their work,” Mr Dare stated. 

NFF President, Mr Amaju Pinnick with some other board members had lamented the ongoing investigation of some of them by anti-graft agencies saying they now “feel unsafe”.

He promised that the NFF will henceforth provide updates to the minister by sending him memos “for every fund received” as proof of the federation’s commitment to the prescribed era of transparency.

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