24 November 2008
Lagos — FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter and General Secretary Jerome Valcke will on Wednesday morning meet with top officials from Nigeria to obtain a guarantee over the hosting of the 2009 Under-17 competition and also harmonise pertaining to the tournament.
Nigeria was handed the hosting right last year but last month shocked the world governing body of the game with a letter it submitted that it would no longer be able to host as a result of what it called, 'astronomical cost.'
However, following a public outcry and a scaling-down of the estimate, the Federal Government made a u-turn, and said it would remain as host.
The local organising committee has since then been place under the office of the Vice-President, Mr Goodluck Jonathan.
Wednesday morning, at the FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland, President Blatter and Valcke will sit down with Nigeria's supervising Minister of Sports, Alhassan Bako Zaku, FIFA Member Dr. Amos Adamu and Director of Organisation, Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba to harmonise issues and forge a way ahead.
Nigeria will still host the tournament but FIFA wants a clear-the -air talks in view of demands by the Nigeria government that the international federation provide some support.
Alhassan Zaku, Amos Adamu and Bolaji Ojo-Oba are all expected at the FIFA House by Tuesday evening.
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