Mr. Pinnick Amaju who is the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has disclosed that the federation is still owing over N600m to vendors from several events.
Pinnick revealed this in an interview with Brila FM yesterday which was monitored by Africa Today News, New York.
According to him, the NFF presently have outstanding bills to pay to hotels, travel agents, various national teams, and staff members our correspondent learnt.
Pinnick whose eight-year tenure in office ends September 30 after the Annual General Assembly agreed to a 10-day extension also added that the NFF is also being owed $6m by one of its sponsors.
Africa Today News, New York reports that he first assumed office back in 2014.
‘We owe our hotels and traveling agencies over N600m, but I always want to guarantee the payment. So, it’s been very tough, but Nigerians don’t understand,’ Pinnick asserted while highlighting his regrets as the President of the NFF in an interview with Brila FM on Saturday.
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‘Right now our sponsors are not paying on time because of the economic challenges. One of our sponsors is owing us about $6m and because of the business they do and the relationship, we have to understand. That money would have solved most of our problems.
‘Some sponsors have even called us to renegotiate the terms in the contract, saying they can’t meet up and we understand.
‘For example, our budget to the government annually is over ₦800m.’
Pinnick also disclosed that plans were in the offing to build a football centre for the national teams.
‘I wanted to build a centre because we are spending so much renting hotels and others,” he continued
‘We wanted to build a world-class centre with four training pitches, almost six floors of hotel with 100 rooms and gym and 1000 capacity stadium. We are almost at the end of discussing FIFA’s capacity development and our sponsors, so we can reduce cost.’
Meanwhile, having opted against contesting to remain in office despite calls from associates persuading him to continue in office, Pinnick believes there are competent replacements among the NFF executive board to take over from him.