Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s (AFN) First Vice President, Tafida Gadzama, has said that the audit committee set up by the federation to investigate its finances should be commended for doing a thorough job, despite all odds.
In a memo to Tidesports source, Gadzama refuted claims that AFN board members were on a warpath over the audit report.
He explained that the AFN’s audit committee was set up by the federation’s executive board to investigate the finances of the federation in line with article 14.3.3 of its 2023 constitution as amended, which gives the board the power to oversee all its administrative, technical and financial matters.
He said that the boards set up the five-man committee, which he headed, with Victor Okorie, Samuel Onikeku, Oludare Esan and Mrs Maria Worphil as members.
According to Gadzama: “The committee requested from the secretary general of the federation, Mrs Rita Moshindi, who is also the federation’s administrative and accounting officer, to furnish it with all relevant financial documents, including the income and expenditure sheets of the
federation since she was appointed secretary general in 2022 by the Federal Ministry of Sports Development pursuant to article 14.2(c) of the 2023 AFN Constitution as amended.
“The Secretary General availed the committee of the following expenditure sheets: 1. AFN Kaduna U18 and U20 trials, 2. AFN Golden Leagues in Abuja, Benin and Uyo and, 3. The World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.”
Gadzama said the committee also requested the secretary general to furnish it with a copy of the three-year contract signed with Premium Trust Bank in June.
“The Secretary General responded to the questions from committee members but refused to submit approvals received from the president and evidence of payments for some of the expenditures. She also failed to submit to the committee a copy of the agreement signed with Premium Trust Bank.”
“The committee reported, via the AFN executive board’s Whatsapp platform, the Secretary General’s apparent disregard for a decision reached at the executive board meeting of the federation and backed by the constitution of the AFN.
“The committee considered the secretary general’s action an affront on the executive board and the constitution of the AFN.