U-17 World Cup: FG makes U-turn, approves N9bn for hosting

President Umaru Yar‘adua

One week after Nigeria announced that it was withdrawing from hosting the 13th FIFA Under-17 World Cup scheduled to hold next year, President Umaru Yar’Adua on Tuesday made a U-turn and gave the go-ahead for the competition.

But the House of Representatives also on Tuesday lauded the President’s earlier decision to withdraw from hosting the soccer fiesta.

However, rather than the initial N35.5bn budgeted for the tournament, Yar’Adua approved that the government will spend just N9bn.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, said Yar’Adua gave the go-ahead for hosting the tournament “following a drastic downward review” of the cost.

The statement reads, “Following a drastic downward review of the estimated cost to the Federal Government of hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup next year, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua today gave the go-ahead for Nigeria to host the tournament as originally planned.

“After giving due consideration to the many representations made by the global football community and other stakeholders, President Yar’Adua has directed that the sum of N9 billion be provided in next year’s budget for the Under-17 World Cup instead of the outrageous N35.5 billion initially requested by the Local Organising Committee.

“The President expects that with prudent management and complementary funding from FIFA and the private sector, the final cost to the Federal Government of hosting the Under-17 World Cup will be even less than the N9 billion which the National Assembly will now be asked to appropriate.”

Yar’Adua’s assent to Nigeria’s bid to host the tournament was also informed by the understanding that FIFA would foot the bill for the accommodation of participating teams.

According to Adeniyi, “There is already an understanding that FIFA will bear the full cost of accommodating participating teams and an encouraging response from the Nigerian private sector to the demand that it should contribute much more significantly towards the successful hosting of the tournament.

“President Yar’Adua has also asked Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to oversee the management of the Federal Government’s role in hosting the tournament to ensure that Nigeria receives full value, in every respect, for funds committed to it.

“Consequently, the Local Organising Committee will now report to the Vice President”.

Adeniyi further disclosed that already, the Federal Government has written to FIFA, communicating Nigeria’s plan to go ahead with the soccer tournament.

“Vice-President Jonathan has accordingly written to the President of FIFA confirming that Nigeria will still host the Under-17 World Cup between October 24 and November 15 next year.

“He asked that FIFA should do more to complement Nigeria’s efforts to ensure the success of the tournament.”

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Tuesday backed the President’s earlier decision to cancel the tournament.

The matter led to a heated debate resulting in the House being divided before the majority won by 65 votes to 40 in favour of Yar’Adua’s initial decision.

However, six lawmakers abstained from voting.

The lawmakers said the funds that should have been deployed to host the soccer fiesta were better spent on infrastructural development, particularly roads.

The FEC had last Wednesday cited the global financial meltdown as its reason for backing out from hosting the tournament.

Already, Mexico had expressed its intent to replace Nigeria as the host of the tournament.