FCT FA establishes football development fund

IN a move aimed at building a robust and sustainable football structure, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association will establish an investment platform for football development in the Territory.

The platform, according to the FA chairman, Alhaji Musa Saeed Talle, will be known as FCT Football Development Fund (FCT FDF).

Speaking at the first FCT FA Awards, Talle stated that the fund, when operational, would cater for players’ development, coaches development, referees’ talent hunt and general development, provision of facilities as well as building Abuja Football Village.

Talle stated that the decision to establish the fund was informed by the fact the Territory was yet to be where it ought to be, adding that the fund was planned to close up the existing gaps.

“We are not where we should be and bearing this in our minds, the next phase of our operations has been planned to accelerate our development to possibly close the gaps that exit.

“In line with this plan, the FCT FA has decided to establish the Federal Capital Territory Football Development Fund (FCT-FDF). The fund basically will cater for players’ development, coaches development, referees’ talent hunt and general development, provision of facilities and building of Abuja Football Village,” the FA boss stated.

Talle said that the award was planned to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Federal Capital Territory.

“We have created an avenue for the entire football family to look at where we are coming from, assess our present position and strategies for the future,” he said.

The awardees included a former FCT Minister, General Jeremiah Timbut Useni (retd); a former President, Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, Senator Dino Melaye, Senator Osita Izunaso, Justice Moses Bello, who was the first FCT FA chairman, among others, including corporate organisations.

In her goodwill message, FCT Acting Director of Sports, Chief (Mrs) Onyendinma Dilichukwu, commended the organisers for organising the event to coincide with the 40th anniversary of FCT and the 25th anniversary of the movement of the seat of power to Abuja.

While noting that the award ceremony was the first of its kind in FCT, Dilichuckwu urged the organisers to improve upon it in subsequent editions.