The Liberia Media Accountability Network (LIMAN), a non-governmental pro-accountability and integrity media advocacy group, wants Liberia Football Association (LFA) President, Mustapha I. Raji, to properly account for the extra US$319,000 used for the completion of its new headquarters in Congo Town.
LIMAN is concerned about the explanation provided by the FA boss regarding the additional loan taken for the construction purpose, but also wonders why the institution did not disclose to the public that such huge money transaction happened behind the scenes.
LIMAN is worried about the current trend of transparency, or lack of it, at the local football house, after Raji, who campaigned on the mantra of integrity, accountability, and transparency, has been tightlipped as to why he concealed the information about the extra US$319,000.
LIMAN’s investigation has further confirmed that Raji was warned about taking the loan of over US$319,000, but could not independently establish whether the said amount was directly invested for the intended purpose. LIMAN is reminded by Raji’s statement, when he announced that the opportunity given by FIFA to develop artificial pitches and the FA headquarters is in the right direction to develop football in Africa.
The FA boss said “We’d like you to take our message to president Infantino that Liberia needs more. There’s more that we need to happen in our country. We understand that everyone has an equal envelope, but our situation today is very grave, and we need more support. We can guarantee you that the monies we received from FIFA for football will be directed to football development exclusively. Evidenced by the number of projects our administration has undertaken, we can assure you that we will be transparent.”
LIMAN believes that Raji’s statement should serve as a wakeup call for him, and that he (Raji) and the FA are under due obligation to live up to the pledge of transparency they promised during an inspection of the project. Additionally, LIMAN finds worrisome, the deliberate attempt by the FA president to understate the actual cost of the project, after he was reportedly warned against taking extra money.
The construction marks the first ever official LFA Headquarters since 1936, and was funded by FIFA in the tune of over US$1.5m, according to president Raji. The three-story building, which is designed with an extended conference hall at its foot, will house staff, including office space designated for members of the executive committee and the technical department, which includes a number of national teams. An architectural design of the project was done by CESAF-Liberia Limited and got approval from the Executive committee of the LFA.
At the same time, LIMAN background check established that allegations linking Isaac Montgomery, former Secretary General of the LFA, and Cassel Kuoh, a former executive committee member of the LFA to non-stop protestations against Raji as misleading and untrue. LIMAN can recall that the LFA’s former Secretary General, who also attended the official opening ceremony of its new home in Congo Town, disagreed with Raji when he made a pronouncement about the total worth of the project.
Montgomery claimed that an additional US$319,000 loan was taken from GT Bank Liberia Limited, and therefore, the US$1.5m announced by his former boss was understated and misleading. LIMAN finds these comments as implicating, and that they border on the integrity and accountability of Raji, who has all along been seen as a football integrity icon. LIMAN finds it naïve for anyone to think that Raji should not be questioned for the misinformation and disinformation regarding why he understated the cost of the FA’s new headquarters.
Furthermore, LIMAN is troubled by allegations that Raji and some executives of the FA overstepped the cost of the construction so as to get kickbacks, but a LIMAN investigation could not independently verify the reported claims, and so, calls on the LFA Chief to properly account for the extra US$319,000 used on the project.
