Abuja — The board of the Local Organising Committee of the FIFA U-17 World Cup headed by Alhaji Sani Lulu engaged the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission in endless battles over control of projects and funds while the tournament lasted even though the board itself is not mentioned in the relevant aspects of the Public Procurement Act adopted by the committee, a senior official of the LOC told Daily Trust yesterday.

He was reacting to a statement put out by the LOC's Board on Wednesday, in which it said only N900 million out of N13 billion released to the LOC by the Federal Government was disbursed to the sub-seats and 15 committees. The board said it could therefore not account for the balance of N12 billion.

The source at the LOC however said the committee's procurement procedure provided spending limits for the Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Mainasara Illo, the Sports Minister Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, the Ministerial Tenders Board and the Federal Executive Council, but there was no spending limit provision for the LOC's board. However, the source said, Alhaji Sani Lulu severally presided over the board and made decisions that conflicted with the minister's instructions, thus throwing the Secretariat into confusion.

The official also blamed Alhaji Sani Lulu for fixing board meetings at odd times during the tournament, often at very short notice, giving the secretariat no time to provide information. According to the official, the committee system was a drag on the tournament and many experts, especially those who participated in organising the All Africa Games in 2003 advised against it this time around.

The source also denied that corruption and waste pervaded the organisation of the tournament, saying the LOC Secretariat under the direction of the Sports Minister adhered to the provisions of the public procurement law in all its actions.