Nigeria 2009: LOC Re-positions For FG Directives

Obafemi Martin

By Peter Agbebaku

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Championship, is in the process of re-positioning to meet the demands of the Federal Government, the committee's Chief Executive Officer, Mainasara Illo, said recently.
Illo, who is the LOC First Vice-Chairman, said in Abuja that this was in the wake of events that led to government rescinding its decision on not hosting the competition.
``We are re-positioning in line with the government directive that followed the re-consideration of the original decision not to host the championship,'' he said.
Newsday reports that the LOC had been kept in place after the earlier ministerial order that it should wind up its activities.
The order by the then Sports Minister/Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Mr Abdulrahman Gimba, was in the wake of government's decision in October, not to host the event.
Illo said government's rescinding of the decision, had now given the LOC a new lease of life.
``Originally, we were reporting to the government through the NSC, but now we report to the Vice-President, and this reflects the upgrading of the reporting line of the LOC.
``That means the LOC and by extension, the championship, has moved up on the government priority list,'' the LOC head said. Illo said that the new dispensation was the subject of the LOC board meeting recently, where the process of re-positioning the committee was deliberated upon.
``We met recently to review events and prepare in line with what we have ahead, especially the first meeting we are going to have tomorrow with the Vice-President,'' he said.