In my last post I presented GFF’s financial transactions according to its own documents. In any organization, a new administration inherits both assets and liabilities and one of the assets the current GFF administration inherited from its predecessor is the National Technical Training Centre (NTTC) Project also called the FIFA goal project. Other projects left behind were:
1. Female Football Development Agenda – The initiation of a Girls Festival – Live your Goal Project was designed to help promote women’s football in the country.
2. The mini stadium project in the Lower River Region; this includes the construction of an artificial Turf and a Pavilion.
The single project that I want to focus on is GFF’s flagship goal project. The current GFF executive did not only inherit the goal project as a structure but also its planned refurbishment funds from FIFA. The Refurbishment and operations of the National Technical Training Centre (NTTC) Project was designed to overhaul the building structure and furnish it. The former GFF obtained approval from FIFA to fund the entire project to the tune of US $ 500,000.00. With FIFA’s blessing US $ 325, 000.00 would be used for the entire renovation and furniture of the National Technical Training Center (NTTC).
The balance of US $ 175,000 was agreed to be spent on grassroots football development especially Youth football.
This current administration is said to have spent the entire US $ 500,000.00 (D22.5 million) on the refurbishment of the structure alone and an extra US $325,000 on furniture totaling an estimated US $825,000 (37.125 million Dalasi). How can that be value for money?
Now let’s zoom into the fine details of the project.
The following suggestions could be optimum amount required to furnish each single room of 3 meter square each:
(1) Bed with wardrobe and Dressing table at D40, 000.00
(2) 21” Flat Screen Television set at 25,000.00
(3) 12,000 BTU Air Conditioner at D16, 000.00
(4) 1 Ceiling Fan at D3, 000.00
At this rate, each room should cost less than D100, 000 to furnish at current prices from the analysis above.
Why was the sum of US $ 325,000.00 (14.6 Million) required to furnish 38 single rooms? It means each room will cost about D400, 000.00 to furnish. If one should do the sums, almost 11 million Dalasi was spent on what, certainly it cannot be on furniture and fixtures for the rooms.
This refurbishment of the so called GFF Hotel attracted a total sum of about US $ 825,000.00(37.125 Million Dalasi). You will have to agree with me that this is an awful lot of money.
This is why I am supporting an independent investigation without prejudice. We can’t just sit by and not ask questions on how the money was spent. The GFF should therefore be investigated to account for all these funds and processes.
Essa Jallow is a Gambian sports journalist based in the UK
