Senate passes bill to restructure sports administration
The Senate on Thursday passed the Nigerian Football Association Act 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2014, in a bid to restructure the Sports Sector and make it to comply with the standards of the International Federation Federation.
The Act which repealed the Nigeria Football Association Act 2004 was passed into law after over two hours clause-by-clause consideration of the document by the legislators.
The new law stipulates that a member of the Executive Committee of the Football Federation shall cease to hold office if he becomes bankrupt or becomes involved in gross misconduct.
It also stipulates that an executive member shall also cease to hold office if he or she is convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or fraud or becomes of unsound mind or incapable of carrying out his or her duties.
In his remarks after the passage of the bill, the Deputy Senate President , Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said the passage of the Bill was a great achievement for football administration in Nigeria.
He said, “I will like to thank all of us for this milestone. I believe that this helps the development of our football and the entire crisis we have had in the past, I believe that this will bring it to an end.
“There now seems to be a law that will help to create some sanity in the administration of football and I believe this brings to an end, all confusions and disputes that have tried in the past to mar football administration in Nigeria.
“I like to congratulate all of us and I do hope that our football administrators will take full advantage of this law to ensure that we advance our football to world standard.
“So once more, congratulations to all Nigerians and all football lovers across the world”..With the passage of this Bill, and if and when signed into law by the President, the Nigeria Football Association will now be known as Nigeria Football Federation, which may sue or be sued in its corporate name.
“Also, it is believed that the passage of the Bill into law would act as a pragmatic move to bring an end to the current crisis in football administration in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Senate will confirm the nomination of Mr Justice Mahmud Mohammed as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, on Tuesday next week , while the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions has been mandated to screen Mr. Joseph Okwu Nnanna for confirmation as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Source: punchng.com