Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) remains firmly rooted in the dark clouds of COVID-19 that have engulfed the world, Uganda inclusive.
In the latest address, the FUFA President Eng Moses Magogo at FUFA House in Mengo – Kampala, hinted about the latest financial status of the federation, the status of all the FUFA competitions and the effect of COVID-19 in the sporting industry (football in particular), the mitigation plan as well as the lessons learnt from this deadly pandemic.
Eng. Magogo hinted about the reserve fund that FIFA and FUFA has always planned.
“We get lessons from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic as FUFA, as the football industry but we need to engage our gears. Whatever success you make is just a shadow of a new challenge emerges. Consequently, we need to plan better. We need to involve a lot of resources – time, people and money for the game to continue to develop and serve those who enjoy, play and work for it. At the Executive level, we have decided that we need to find means of creating a reserve fund that should be continually built in the time when we have a little more resources. I am aware FUFA has never had enough but we will cut our cloth. Today, FIFA has a billion dollar in the reserve fund. This is something which was started some time back. If there is any support to this COVID-19 effect, it will definitely come from this reserve fund. We need to raise our advocacy especially in matters where have been talking about in area of infrastructure. We must continue to sing the song of proper infrastructure, to advocate with Government and private sector for a way forward” Eng Moses Magogo remarked.
Eng. Magogo also hinted that FUFA is engaging Government with a paper being prepared on some of the possible suggestions such that football can be reopened in terms of schedule and the way forward.
Better still, how football is an economic activity employing people and not leisure therefore qualifies to get a stimulus like all other sectors, paying taxes in more than 10 billion shillings per year (FUFA).
Eng Moses Magogo, the FUFA PresidentKey highlights about the financial status as submitted by the FUFA President:
The fate of activities, what we have done, what requests we have received and what we ought to do for the future. One of our sources of funding, Government has been severely affected. It should be noted that the government funding is not received in totality as budget cuts are always done here and there. And in the next financial year, there is also an expected budget cut. Our own internal sources have been affected too. Our own revenue is also affected. We are having discussions going on with the various sponsors. Merchandising and match day revenue are all affected.
The third source of revenue FIFA. I go on record that there is no other extra funding that FUFA has received from FIFA. There was a lot of confusion when FIFA released the first part of the 500,000 dollars.
The funds had been initially planned to undertake certain activities.
FUFA received a request of at least 1 billion from Uganda Premier League (UPL). The decision of the FUFA Executive on the matter is that FUFA has used the same information from UPL to FIFA of the possible mitigation.
We have been in constant discussions with FIFA and there is assurance that there will be a response. Let us be patient, we are aware of the letter that was written by UPL.
This situation does not leave us without understandings especially matters to do with the Uganda Cranes, The coaches and staff salaries are part of the funds received from Government which we have not yet received. We are hopeful that as soon as we have received it, they will be taken care of.
We are hoping that whatever fund comes . In recognition of this prevailing situation. Executive took a decision to clear outstanding arrears to zero shilling. It should be noted that we pay Shs. 1.4 Billion shillings in salaries per year.
The service providers, any outstanding liabilities incurred in support of activities whose funding has not yet come but the activities were already completed.
FUFA will ensure that this organization will continue to undertake its development, promotion and protection activities and also meet its obligations to the stakeholders; and also absorb the economic and sporting shock of Covid-19.
