A prominent Liberian football stakeholder, Emmett Stages Glassco, has called on the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to conduct a forensic audit of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), citing concerns over alleged financial irregularities in the use of funds provided by FIFA since 2018.
Glassco’s call for an audit comes in the wake of a public disagreement between LFA president Mustapha Raji and auditors over the cost of the LFA Headquarters.
Raji recently disputed an audit that listed the headquarters’ cost at $1.89 million, maintaining his previously announced figure of $1.5 million.
Since the inception of Mustapha Raji’s administration, the LFA has received over $13 million from FIFA.
However, Glassco asserts that a significant portion of these funds remains unaccounted for, despite ongoing financial struggles faced by football clubs across various leagues.
As president of Senior Female Professionals, Glassco voiced his concerns following Raji’s disagreement with the audit findings.
“The discrepancy between Raji and the auditors, where Raji disagreed with what the auditor presented in the Audited Financial Statement, is one of the reasons a reputable and international audit firm should be appointed by FIFA to urgently check the account books of the Federation,” Glassco stated.
He emphasized the need for transparency and accountability to ensure that funds are judiciously expended.
The auditors provided a qualified opinion on the LFA’s financial statement, highlighting numerous financial issues within the association and these concerns include unaccounted gate intake money over several years, unverifiable debts claimed by the LFA, and unprofessional recording of financial transactions.
In a management letter following a local comprehensive audit, the auditors also raised issues regarding the LFA’s financial practices, suggesting a potential for corruption.
They noted that money allegedly paid to workers on the pitch after each match day lacked proper receipts or records.
Glassco’s call for an audit aims to promote transparency, build credibility, and enhance the value of Liberian football on the international stage.
“This is a very serious issue that must be given urgent attention to avoid another international embarrassment like the disqualification of the U-17 boys’ national team,” he said.
Responding to Glassco’s allegations, Anthony Kokoi of the LFA Media Department dismissed the claims of corruption within the football association.
Kokoi suggested that Glassco visits the LFA’s financial department to better understand the association’s finances before making public statements.
“How can you say FIFA should conduct an audit on us when there is no audit report that has shown a single corruption at the LFA?” he questioned.
However, Glassco remains adamant that a FIFA-led forensic audit is necessary to restore confidence and ensure the proper use of funds within the LFA and called for the audit report to be made public to enhance transparency and accountability within the Liberian football community.
