NFA looting a bone of contention

LIMBA MUPETAMIWINDHOEKStatus, power and ego are the order of the day at the Namibia Football Association (NFA), with Ranga Haikali, the suspended president, stating that he was not given a chance to respond to corrupt allegations before being suspended.Haikali is being accused of mismanaging funds and using the NFA office for his own gain. He spoke to Namibian Sun, and also appeared on the Namibia Media Holdings ‘Evening Review’ show on Monday, to clear up the corruption claims against him.Haikali stressed that he wants to establish a clear path of governance and transparency and to set policies which will be implemented long after he is gone.However, he claimed that the likes of secretary-general Franco Cosmos wanted to derail that so that looting could continue unabated.Cosmos, with the support of NFA vice-president Izak Fredericks and some executive members, managed to suspend Haikali in August. They said Haikali carried out tasks without informing the exco members. These included his interest in a company called PC Centre, which he allegedly positioned to score an IT contract from NFA for the Fifa E-connect programme, and his interest in Africa Personnel Services (APS), which provided fumigation services to the association.Haikali explained the extent of his influence and also stated that allegations against him are false.There were four companies considered to administer the domain name of the NFA, but he stated that PC Centre was never contracted. “I declared my interest, 40% shares in the company, copied in Fifa as well as Cosmos and stated that PC Centre should not be given the contract,” he said.According to Haikali, Cosmos gave one of the other three companies the contract to the tune of N$2.3 million.“PC Centre offered to administer the public domain of the NFA for free. NFA however paid PC Centre N$2 300 – which they paid to a company called Omatina as standard fee to set up the domain. It did not go into the coffers of PC Centre,” said Haikali.He further explained that PC Centre continues to offer these services for free to the NFA, despite the fact that Cosmos had paid a company belonging to his friends to take over from PC Centre.“He gave the contract to his friends, which till today did not do the job. The same with the E-Connect programme. Nothing is happening, but leagues around the world have started,” said Haikali.Asked whether he gave a fumigation contract to another company belonging to him, Haikali explained that a staff member who works for NFA was given the contract for N$51 000.“The person’s company wasn’t registered, he dirtied the walls with the chemicals as they didn’t have any experience to carry out the task – this information came from Cosmos himself,” stated Haikali.“I don’t appoint companies or give contracts. I was told that there was another company charging N$63 000, which could do the job. I told Cosmos to hold on, I called APS – I’m the director and shareholder of this company.“A registered company which I told to invoice me, they charged less than N$5 000. I paid for these services, not NFA. So, you can see how prices were being inflated, for whatever reason.”He also explained the alleged overdraft he took from FNB. “I don’t have authority to apply for an overdraft for the NFA. Cosmos does.”He further added that there was a post on Facebook about a dilapidated office of one of the NFA’s affiliates in the north, which he renovated with his own funds.He said they got quotations and he paid. “It was a gesture of goodwill. I help many people, whether it’s bursaries, renovations or anything, if there is a need. If you see that office now, there is an improvement.”Haikali also stands accused of coercing the executive committee to appoint Andreas Amesho as PR officer without advertising the post.“This is Cosmos’s doing. He advertised the position on a Whatsapp group which ran for four days. He made recommendations for this appointment without consulting me or the exco members.“I wrote to the exco members, highlighting these discrepancies,” added Haikali.He further accused Cosmos of undermining his authority and awarding million-dollar tenders without his or the executive committee’s approval.As it currently stands, the NFA’s top leadership structure is divided, with Haikali struggling to exercise his constitutional powers as the president of the local football association as a result of an alienated executive committee - thus rendering Haikali powerless to discipline or instruct Cosmos.It is not clear how much influence Cosmos has at the NFA, but Haikali said he is the only person who can fire Cosmos.“Cosmos is a contracted employee; he is not appointed. I, however, want him to go through a disciplinary hearing and to prove his innocence as I’m still the president.“He is lying to ill-informed people as he is a divisive person as well as a poor administrator,” Haikali added.Haikali stated that there would be a meeting over the weekend to clear up his position and to pave the way forward.Cosmos was asked to appear on the ‘Evening Review’ show to give his side of the story, but refused to do so. -limba@namibiansun.com

NFA looting a bone of contention

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-26

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NFA looting a bone of contention

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-26

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