Tag: FOI ACT IN SPORT

The office of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sport in Abuja recently received a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request, seeking to get a breakdown of how the overpaid $135,000 IAAF fund was used by the Sports Ministry.

The FOI Act request dated August 5, 2019 and addressed to: “The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Youth And Sports, New Federal Secretariat Complex Maitama Sule Garki, Abuja was officially received by the registry on August 8, 2019 at the Secretariat in Abuja.

Sports Intelligence (www.simag.com.ng) who made the request, invoked sections 1, 2 (1) (3) (V), 2 (3) (V), 2 (3) 31 of the FOI Act seeking to get a breakdown of how the said amount was spent.

Paragraph 2 of the request reads: “We refer to the above subject matter in which your ministry confirmed through the former Sports Minister Barr. Solomon Dalung, that the sum of $135,000 was overpaid in 2017, and the ministry shall refund the money to the IAAF soon”.

In paragraph 4 of the request, it further stated that: “Sequel upon these, we feel that the transparency, accountability and credibility which this administration represents need to do more in giving adequate information to the civil society both locally and internationally. With the intention to building a positive image of the nation as far as Sports is concerned”.

The FOI Act request also reminded the Sports Ministry to send certified true copies of the breakdown on how the said sum was spent within 7 days of receipt of the correspondence as stipulated by the FOI Act.

It will be recalled that the issue of the overpaid IAAF $135,000 fund lingered and caused furor on on the media generally. It almost led to Nigeria been sanctioned for not refunding the sum by the International Athletics Federation.