Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu
The Bayelsa State Football Association says it has distributed covid-19 funds it received from the Nigeria Football Federation NFF to clubs in the state.
The covid-19 funds are parts of the funds distributed by World Football Governing Body FIFA to affiliate bodies around the globe.
Nigeria Football Federation NFF had received one million dollars from FIFA as parts of palliative for the coronavirus pandemic.
The Secretary of Bayelsa State Football Association Diseye Nwankwe said the FA used the money to buy football equipment which was distributed to 35 clubs in the state.
Diseye Nwankwe said the Bayelsa FA decided to buy football equipment because the clubs do not have those in their training centers.
“Basically the funds were made for the restart of football that was the instruction FIFA gave. It was a relief fund given to FIFA to the NFF to give to its affiliate bodies and which Bayelsa Football Association was also a beneficiary, and they said the fund was made basically for the restart of football”.
“And the Bayelsa Football Association decided to hold a meeting to discuss those things needed for the restart of football and we found out that its equipment because most of the teams does not have footballs and jerseys. For you train you must have footballs to train. So what we did was to buy a set of jerseys and two balls for 35 teams that are affiliated to Bayelsa Football Association” he said.
Breakdown of the distribution of Covid-19 funds in Bayelsa state
A total of 35 teams benefitted from the gesture.
14 beneficiaries from the Bayelsa State Men’s football league
10 academies affiliated with Bayelsa Football Association
3 female football teams
8 local government areas in the Bayelsa State
