September 27, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
Chairman of Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) members (football stakeholders), Alhaji Unisa Alim ‘Awoko’ Sesay has hit out at the world football governing body, FIFA, labeling their ‘double standards’ and ‘incompetent administrators.’
Sesay’s outburst came just few days after FIFA, in a letter addressed to the SLFA President Isha Johansen, showed support for the Madam Johansen-led administration as having done no wrong in the alleged ‘misuse of the funds’.
According to Sesay, FIFA lacks the competency to say or determine whether or not SLFA has falled short or misused any fund.
He said: “Firstly, monies are sent to the SLFA which is a company limited by guarantee and it is only the shareholders who are the stakeholders could determine the misuse of our money. We are the only competent source that will determine what is in the audit reports.
“Since Johansen came into power for three years now she has never conducted any congress, we have never approved activities or budget nor audited report. If you look at the very FIFA circular 1735, which is dated 22nd November 2013, they stated that they will not offer any associations with any financial assistance without submitting an audited account and we have not done that in three years.”
Sesay further stated that FIFA’s recent backing for the Johansen-led administration shows clear double standards in their administration as he cited their silence over the investigation and indictment of the former SLFA Secretary General Alimu Bah by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2010.
“This shows the double standard by FIFA, when the ACC prosecuted Alimu Bah, FIFA made no comment even after his conviction. That is why we determine what happens with our association not FIFA. We own our clubs and our association,” Sesay said.
On 7 September, SLFA President Isha Johansen, together with her Vice-President Brima Mazola Kamara and General Secretary Christopher Kamara were all detained and questioned by the ACC over corruption.
Johansen was released on bail the following day with no charges, so was her vice president and general secretary, who spent two and seven night’s respectively in police detention.
The trio’s arrest came after the ACC said the SLFA President had failed to attend several hearings set-up by them. The commission is investigating the use of funds the SLFA received from FIFA, CAF and the Sierra Leone government.