Nigeria’09: FIFA Extends Deadline From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja

Federation of Internati-onal Football Associa-tions (FIFA) yesterday extended the deadline for final inspection of venues in Nigeria for the U-17 World Cup tournament from its earlier date of July 5 to 9 to a new date of July 26 and 27.
This followed a personal guarantee given FIFA by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua that Nigeria was prepared to host the championship which is scheduled for October this year.
Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan gave the assurance on behalf of Federal Government while presenting Nigeria’s Letter of Guarantee from President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to the Vice President of FIFA, Jack Warner, at the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Yar’Adua, in the guarantee letter, pleaded that Warri and Kaduna should be re-considered by the FIFA Team as both cities would be fully ready before FIFA’s final inspection.
Jonathan said that both the Federal Government and the governors of the hosting states were “very” committed to the provision and development of infrastructure, noting that “the selected states have collectively spent billions of naira on stadia infrastructure with little assistance from the Federal Government”.
The Vice President stated that he had personally toured the states to encourage the governors who are working very hard to ensure that everything at the venues including pitches, accommodation and health facilities are all in place and ready for the tournament.
He thanked FIFA for granting the hosting right of the U-17 World Cup football tournament to Nigeria in the first place. According to him, “For FIFA to grant approval for Nigeria to host the tournament is an indication that it recognises Nigeria’s importance and position in world of sports and football in particular. He assured that the federal and state governments have taken the provision of the required infrastructures as a challenge and affirmed that the facilities being provided would be maintained for future national and international tournaments.”
Jonathan specifically commended Jack Warner for his technical advice and encouraged him to maintain his communication with the government to enable Nigeria benefit from updates on FIFA's standards as they become available.
Earlier, FIFA Vice President, Mr. Jack Warner, said he knows what hosting the U-17 tournament meant to Nigeria and expressed his happiness to receive guarantee from the highest level of the Nigerian government.
Commenting on the position of Kaduna, Warner said, “nothing will give me and my delegation comfort if Kaduna and Warri are not considered. But from what I have heard and seen this morning in their presentation, so much has been done.”
He noted that since President Yar’Adua has given assurance on the security situation in the country, FIFA has no problem with security, saying that “football should be used as a means of achieving peace and hope”.
Speaking in the same vein, the Governor Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Udua-ghan, and his Kaduna State counterpart, Namadi Sambo, and Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State reassured that all the facilities and venues for the world football event would be ready by the time the FIFA inspection team would be visiting for final inspection.
Uduaghan gave assurance that Warri and Delta State in general are secured and everybody was looking forward to hosting the world event in the State. While Imoke assured the FIFA Team that Cross River being the flagship of tourism in Nigeria was ready for the fiesta, noting that hosting the event in the state will further boost tourism not only in the state but in the country in general.
In his closing remarks, the NFA/LOC Chairman, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullali, appreciated the FIFA inspection team for their consideration and extension of time from July 5 to July 26 for final inspection. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to host the event and assured the team that all facilities would be completed before they come back to the country.
Jack Warner was also accompanied by Isa Hayatou - CAF President and Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General.