PH Hosts NFF’s AGA, ‘Morrow

Physically challenged athletes in wheel chair race at the just concluded 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012.

The 68th Annual General Assembly Football Federation (NFF) will get underway tomorrow in Port Harcourt at the Atlantic Hall of Hotel Presidential.

The Assembly, which will officially mark the end of the 2012 football season is being hosted by the Rivers State government.

Already, NFF’s advanced party, consisting mainly of the organising committee of the AGA arrived the City yesterday to cross every ts and dot the is.

Delegates for the Assembly are expected to arrive today while the meeting holds tomorrow. NFF executive members are expected to be quartered at Hotel Presidential, while delegates would stay at Landmark and Beverley Hills hotels.

According to the Secretary, Rivers State Football Association, RSFA, Benjamain Akobo, expected logistics from the Rivers State Government to make the meeting run smoothly is already in place and arrangements concluded for a hitch-free event.

Reports and statutory issues would dominate discussions on the floor of the meeting while the rumblings in the Nigeria Premier League Board is expected to get attention.

Top football clubs in the outgone season, Kano Pillars and Heartland FC are scheduled to clash in a champion of champions fixture at the Sharks FC Stadium after the meeting.

Meanwhile, the NFF has said that it would honour Dr Sam Sam Jaja, its one-time Secretary-General and Mr Herbert Omokhaye, at its 68th Annual General Assembly in Port Harcourt.

This is contained in a statement by the NFF Director of Media, Ademola Olajire, in Abuja.

“Jaja, a former President of the Nigeria Referees Association, who was also on the board, will be conferred with honorary membership of the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation.

“Omokhaye, also a former referee and administrator of repute, who turned 80 recently, will be honoured with an Award of Meritorious Service to Nigeria football,” it stated.

The General Secretary of NFF, Musa Amadu, said that all arrangements had been concluded for the tomorrow’s awards in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“The Executive Committee of the NFF decided it was time we start giving honour unto whom it is due.

“To this end, the committee has pencilled down Jaja and Omokhaye for honour, this year; this will become a feature of the Annual General Assembly.”

The statement said about 12 members of staff, who spent 20 years and above in the service of the association, would be honoured.

“The governor of Rivers, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, will be chief host of the event, which the Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, will be special guest of honour.

Past NFA presidents, John Obakpolor, Abdulmumini Aminu, Dominic Oneya, Ibrahim Galadima and Sani Lulu, past secretaries General, Momodu Kadiri, Sani Toro, Tijjani Yusuf, Fanny Amun and Bolaji Ojo-Oba, would also be honoured.

The statement stated that the NFA president would lead 88 delegates into the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt for the opening ceremony.