At Last, Pinnick Bows To Pressure Admits Receipt of FIFA Funds

  At Last, Pinnick Bows To Pressure Admits Receipt of FIFA Funds By Niyi Busari The President, Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has confirmed that FIFA has paid the federation the sum of One million and Six hundred thousand US Dollars ($1.6m), BSNSports.com.ng can report. Pinnick confirmed the payment on Wednesday via his verified twitter handle. BSN Sports had on October 4th published that the NFF had received the FIFA funds. This follows a memo dated 15/5/2020 written and signed by the Secretary General of the NFF, Sanusi Mohammed confirmed that the federation had received $1.5m and seeking permission from Pinnick to spend the Operational Cost. [caption id="attachment_35219" align="alignnone" width="230"] Memo signed by the NFF Secretary General, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed for permission to spend the FIFA Funds[/caption] After the new was refuted by the NFF, there was so much pressure from the world governing body as letters from different bodies and individuals flooded FIFA email. Interested parties from within and outside Nigeria wrote to FIFA to confirm whether or not it has paid the NFF and if not, why they have not been paid when other member Associations confirmed that they have been paid. Recall that former Nigeria international and Inter Milan defender, Taribo West on Monday threatened to stage and lead a nationwide protest following corruption in the Nigeria Football Federation. All these, our correspondent confirmed from a source close to Sunday Dankaro House, were responsible for the declaration of the FIFA Funds on Wednesday. Pinnick wrote; "Huge appreciation to football's world governing body, @FIFAcom, for the $1 million (one million dollars) the Federation has received in the frame of COVID-19 palliatives. The money was received by the @thenff and we re-confirmed the purpose from FIFA two days ago. BSN Sports can authoritatively confirmed that FIFA did not pay $600,000 for repair and construction of Bauchi and Ugborodo mini stadia. FIFA was clear in its Circular dated April 24th, 2020 sent to member associations including the NFF on how the money should be spent. According to FIFA, the money was released to mitigate the effect of Coronavirus on the NFF staff, football clubs, coaches and players. There was no mention of repair or construction of mini stadia as claimed by the NFF.   "@FIFAcom also sent $600,000 to the Federation for the FIFA Forward 2.0 projects in Birnin-Kebbi and Ugborodo. At $300,000 each, it will enable the mini-stadia in both centers to start at a very good pace, as we earmark completion by the end of March 2021." "As a further break down, the $1 million for palliatives is composed of $500,000 for men's football and $500,000 for the women's game. FIFA has also promised to send the Federation an additional $500,000 sometime in January 2021, also as part of COVID-19 palliative efforts." He also confirmed that CAF will send $300,000 to the federation on November 1st. "On the continent, we have received confirmation from @CAF_Online that the Federation will receive the expected $300,000 from the Confederation on or before Sunday, the 1st of November. With the $200,000 we have already ring-fenced from our sponsors' funds for the purpose..." Pinnick who has argued that the FIFA money is not meant to be shared as palliative later turned around to admit and agrees to share to the beneficiaries. "...the coast will then be clear for us to start the disbursement of funds to the beneficiaries, as captured in our approved template, from next week." [caption id="attachment_36355" align="alignnone" width="221"] How NFF wants to share the FIFA and CAF Funds[/caption] It is yet to seen whether the federation will share the money accordingly.