Ebi Egbe Abandons FIFA Sponsored Stadium Two Years After Receipt of N600m

Ebi Egbe Abandons FIFA Sponsored Stadium Two Years After Receipt of N600m

By Niyi Busari

The dream of many a Nigerian youth taking advantage of a FIFA fully sponsored stadium to become future stars has been cut short, as the contractor handling the Ugborodo Community Stadium project in Warri, Delta State is not sure of when it will be commissioned, two years after a failed-promised commissioning date.

In 2016, FIFA came up with a four-year cycle of financial assistance for all 211 member associations (NFF inclusive), which kicked off the same year called "FIFA Forward 1.0.

FIFA Forward 1.0 ended in 2019 while FIFA Forward 2.0 which began in January 2019 ended in December 2022. In the four-year cycle program, FIFA gave funds to the NFF to build two stadiums. Meanwhile, FIFA Forward 3.0 commenced in January 2023 which marked the end of FIFA Forward 2.0. "FIFA can't owe a member association any balance from a programme when another one has commenced." Former NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu told BSN Sports.

Confirming receipt of Two Million and Three Hundred Thousand US dollars ($2.3m) from FIFA, NFF General Secretary, Sanusi Mohammed said the same amount was budgeted for the completion of the two stadiums; one in Ugborodo Warri, Delta State and another in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.

In September 2020, former NFF President and FIFA Council Member, Amaju Pinnick during the foundation laying of the Ugborodo Stadium, told journalists that the project would be commissioned in March 2021. But little did Nigerians know that the good news was just a mirage that may not come to reality.

Going by his statement, Ebi Ezekiel Egbe, the Director of Monimichelle Sports Facilities Construction Limited- the construction company handling the FIFA-sponsored stadium in Ugborodo, Warri Delta State - may not deliver the stadium so soon despite receipt of over Six Hundred Million Naira (N600,000 million) from FIFA through the NFF as the site has been deserted for long without any construction going on.

In 2020, when tractors and other earth-moving equipment were deployed to the site, many thought the project would be commissioned on the promised date (March 2021).

Egbe Indicts NFF On Why The Stadium Has Not Been Completed.

The NFF General Secretary, Sanusi Mohammed confirmed to BSN Sports that the sum of One Million and One Hundred US dollars ($1.1m) was budgeted for the completion of the stadium, Egbe also confirmed that the amount was budgeted for the project.

Egbe popularly known as Monimichelle by his admirers confirmed to BSN Sports in a phone conversation on Thursday 13th April 2023, that only the sum of Eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000) has been paid to date since he received his last payment in 2022. He lamented on why the balance was being held back, he however alleged that the NFF has received the balance from the CBN.

"My friend, I can confirm to you that I have received $800,000 for building the stadium. I received the money for two trenches. But the two payments were made seven months after NFF had received it, and I didn't know why it was delayed for so long. Meanwhile, the NFF has completed the payment to other contractors handling Birnin Kebbi stadium which means they have received the full payment from CBN. Egbe told BSN Sports.

"I also need to let you know that I didn't receive the complete $800,000 because a fifteen percent service charge was removed from the money before it was paid to me. And I don't know why such an amount was being deducted.

When asked whether it was the Central Bank of Nigeria who removed the 15% service charge. He said, "I have not heard it before anywhere in the world that a certain percentage is removed from money sent as a grant from FIFA to help Nigeria build a stadium. I am not sure CBN can do such a thing but I know I didn't collect the full payment and when I asked, they said the 15% was for bank charges.

However visit to the stadium by BSN Sports on three different occasions with the last in February 2023, showed that the site has been deserted as there was no work ongoing at the time of the visit, there was no fence, no entrance gate, no signpost showing the prototype of the project, the client, the project and contractor which was included in the project was displayed on the site. Also included in the project are: building of playing turf, floodlights, players' dressing rooms, a toilet, and match officials' dressing rooms.

This writer in February met empty land with an uncompleted spectator stand. Is this all he has done for all the money he has received? An experienced but infuriated engineer and building contractor, Innocent Ozurumba who was on the site for inspection said angrily. If not in a country like ours, the contractor of this project should be in jail by now, he added. How do you justify the amount received with what I am seeing here? He asked rhetorically.

Meanwhile, the FIFA delegation sent to inspect the stadium in 2022 to justify whether the work on ground commensurate with the amount received could not get to the site after spending hours on the sea.

"We are not aware of anything called FIFA stadium here. All I can say is that Pinnick used FIFA and State government to grab our ancestral land. The Delta State government gave the land to him without our consent and free of charge. And it was sand-filled by Chevron in 1993." The traditional ruler, Olajori of Ugborodoland, Benson Omadili told BSN Sports.

Since FIFA Forward programmes began in 2016, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has not commissioned any project. Many countries that had commissioned their completed projects were displayed on the FIFA website. On the website, Morocco's recent achievements in men's and women's football particularly being the first African country to reach the semifinal of the World Cup in Qatar were attributed to the optimal use of the FIFA Forward funds.

The football federations of Jordan, Croatia, Japan, Portugal, and Cameroon's achievements with the funds were showcased on the website.

All efforts to get useful information from FIFA, CBN, NFF, and the Ministry of Sports were frustrated.

Contacting the federation for clarification, three different Freedom of Information Act (FOI Act) letters with the first on 3rd February, the second letter sent on 14th July, and the last one on 27th July 2022 requesting the details on FIFA Forward 2.0 and the amount released by FIFA through Central Bank of Nigeria were sent. To date, the federation failed to respond to the three letters. On its part, the Central Bank of Nigeria which received the funds on behalf of the federation from FIFA acted like an accomplice. Three different FOIA letters that were also sent to the government organization on 4th February, 15th July, and 4th August 2022 did not receive the required information on the questions raised. In their response letter dated 26th July 2022 titled, "Re: Request For Information Under Freedom of Information Act On FIFA Forward 2.0 Project in Nigeria." Signed by Aminu Mohammed Director and Secretary to the Board, reads, "We write to acknowledge your letter dated 15ty July 2022 on the above matter and wish to inform you that the information being sought, where available will be communicated to you in due course." To date, no additional information has been sent by the CBN.

Felt frustrated but hopeful of getting useful answers, two letters were sent to the Ministry of Sports which oversees the NFF affairs. On their part, to get the required data, a memo was sent to the federation demanding answers as to the amount received from FIFA as to why the project was uncompleted two years after failed commission date. The memo with reference number, FMYSD/FEAD/NGOS/1/33 signed by Ekanem Benedict for Permanent Secretary and dated 13th August 2022 with the title, "Re: Request For Information Under Freedom of Information Act On FIFA Forward 2.0 Project in Nigeria." to date did not get any response from the NFF.

It reads, "I am directed to forward herewith a self-explanatory letter from Basic Sports in Nigeria (BSN Sports) for your comment and necessary response as clarifications. You are therefore expected to properly brief the Ministry on the true situation of things as far as funds released to the federation by FIFA Forward 2.0 is concerned. Treat with despatch to enable the Ministry to come up with an informed position on the matter. The letter concluded.

Not relenting, BSN Sports wrote FIFA and their response to the FOIA letter on 23rd July 2022, provided no useful information as to the request. In their response on 29th July 2022, FIFA wrote, "We kindly refer you to the NFF for more information. Details of the NFF utilization of FIFA Forward funds may be found on FIFA Forward Impact Map." The data attached to FIFA's response showed the total number of approved projects, the amount released, the balance to be paid, the total available funds, and the total amount spent so far on infrastructure, capacity building, competitions, national teams, and subvention on all the 211 member Associations and six confederations but kept mute on the question raised regarding the NFF.