By S. Siapha Mulbah
The 12 Stakeholders Voting ‘No’ to the passage of the 2025 budget of the Liberia Football Association recently at congress have disclosed that their actions were intended to have a reflection of an increase in clubs’ subvention and procurement of an ambulance in the financial instrument.
The eligible members of congress through their designated delegates stood against the passage of the budget in a tone of US$ 5.7Million with claims that there was a need for the football house to increase subvention for the clubs and purchase an ambulance for the national league in order show commitment for the players safety and wellbeing.
Though their democratic views were defeated by the body who presented a majority vote in favor of the passage, some of those in leadership at the aggrieved clubs have vowed to keep campaigning against the LFA leadership to get their concerns reflected in the yearly budget.
Leading the ‘Vote No to the Budget’ at the LFA 29th Ordinary in the football house was FC Fassell president Cassell Anthony Kouh who recorded several on field injuries that threatened players safety in the absence of an ambulance during matches.
He said their campaign despite the voters’ decision to pass the budget will continue to inform stakeholders that there is an urgent need to increase the yearly subvention to clubs’ participation in the leagues due to economic crisis.
Kouh alleged that the current LFA leadership gave priority to so many things in the budget under administration and operation of the football house and left out member associations priorities and benefits which he termed as unfair to the clubs and players.
“Last years we voted against the budget for increase in subvention. This year, it has not increase and we see that there are inadequate measures in the league for players safety so we stood our ground against the passage and our decision is in the interest of football,” he explained.
As opposition stakeholders, the aggrieved clubs called on others members of the body to not feel intimidated by any means in speaking out for the welfare of the clubs that are the most running component of the Liberia league every season.
“We voted to correct the wrongs we saw in the budget during the deliberation and the congress. There will be no football in this country without the clubs we have and the players, so that’s why we want the LFA and executive committee members wake up as set priority in clubs,” the clubs lamented.
The clubs that voted against the budget cut across the three major leagues namely the Women Upper League along with the Men’s First and Second Divisions.
Determine Girls, Shaita Angels, FC Fassell, Invincible Eleven, Jubilee, Senior Female Professionals, Junior Professionals and other were all among the aggrieved fashion of congress on the budget issue.
In respond to these assertions and bases for voting against the budget and other matters at the congress, LFA president Mustapha Raji explained to the consciences of the stakeholders that voting for or against the budget was a right of the eligible voters of congress but were paramount to the shut down of football if the result contravenes positivity.
According to Raji, the congress was an occasion for the stakeholder to rationalize the administration of football and let go of political mentality which many did by passing the football monetary guideline for the year reflected therein.
With emphasis on increasing subvention for clubs and purchasing ambulance for the league, the FA president maintained that there are hundreds of clubs and thousands of people who are continuous playing football across the country that need assistance even more than the top league clubs.
With this, he said amount for subvention will only be increased if there is more funding directed and intended for clubs through sponsorship and other partnersto include FIFA of CAF.
“The LFA has entered an agreement with the Liberia National Red Cross to have ambulances and other emergency vehicles at match venues to respond to on field and other injuries. These are solutions we as an association are finding to safeguard the players. Getting a new ambulance requires getting a full medical team on board and they all should be paid and the budget of the FA can not cover such expenses now,” he added.
Raji then urged the stakeholder to come together at these crucial moments heading to the 2026 election to work under a united atmosphere that will bring on board innovative ideas to developed football.
