NFF must fund own autonomy - Sambawa

FORMER Sports minister of Sports, Dr Samaila Sambawa says for the nation's football authorities to escape the spectre of government interference, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has to be reasonably bouyant from the standpoint of finance.Sambawa made this submission in Abuja while fielding questions from sportswriters on the issue of government's interfence, which many have come to identify as one of the albatross of the Glasshouse.''What is all this hue and cry about NFF going autonomous and the rest. Nobody is holding them, it takes a level of economic strength to be independent."He gave an insight into the lot of the Glasshouse.''When I was at the saddle as the Sports minister, to prosecute a single Super Eagles match it cost us a minimum of 1 million dollars; convert that to naira and see what it gives you. Tomorrow you want the man or the ministry that gives that money not to know how that amount was spent''.Sambawa argued that it stands to reason that the principle of accountability that regulates the spending of government funds requires who ever is giving that out should have a massive say in the affairs of things as they affect football matters.On the way out of what many have come to see as the problem of football the former sports minister submitted..''So until the NFF is able to generate its own finances, then the issue of interference can be naturally wished away..whether you like or not the man that drops the money is king'', he posited.
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