FG to spend over N336 million on new NFA secretariat

The Federal Government is to spend more than N336 million on the proposed new secretariat of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) in Abuja.

The supervising Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling the NFA Building Structure at the National Stadium.

“This unveiling ought to have been done a long time ago, but we have been waiting to ensure that all Due Processes are met and the construction sum fixed.

“The Presidential Task Force (PTF) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will ensure that all the amount due in the project will be promptly settled,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is inside the Package B of the National Stadium Complex and it is very close to the FIFA Technical Centre, also known as the FIFA Goal Project.

The then President Umaru Yar’Adua had in 2009 set up the PTF to assist in ensuring that Nigeria’s Super Eagles qualified for the World Cup billed for South Africa.

The Task Force, headed by Rivers State governor Chibuike Amaechi had then promised to utilise the unspent funds from the money gathered to prosecute its assignment in building a secretariat for the NFA.

Abdullahi who is also chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) said the project was expected to be completed and commissioned after 52 weeks of commencing construction.

The minister said the NFA deserved a better office to enable it discharge its duties effectively, and said this was why the PTF thought of the building named “Nigerian Football House’’.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Enidom Paul, the Chairman of the project contractor, Paul-B Nigeria (Ltd), assured that the contract would be executed according to specifications.(NAN)