The Nigeria Professional Football League Club Secretaries Forum has commended the Nigeria Football Federation and the Ministry of Sports for supporting Enyimba International Football Club in their CAF campaign.
The Forum in a statement on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, Omon Bassey, expressed gratitude to those who made Enyimba’s trip to Libya by chartered flight possible.
“It is an indication of government’s desire to see that football grows to an enviable height,” Bassey said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Aba-based Enyimba International were scheduled to face Al Ahly Benghazi in Libya on Thursday at 10pm in a CAF Confederation Cup tie.
But Enyimba were at risk of missing the Group A fixture in Libya as a result of visa complications and flight into Libya.
The team also suffered another blow when CAF turned down their initial request for a postponement of the game.
However, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State intervened by making provision for a chartered flight to convey the team to and fro Libya.
The Ministry of Sports and the NFF also played major roles in getting the date and time of the match moved to Thursday from its earlier scheduled date of Wednesday.
Bassey said: “We congratulate the NFF President Amaju Pinnick, League Management Company (LMC) Chairman Shehu Dikko, and Minister of Sports Sunday Dare for providing technical support and assistance to the club.
“This technical support came in the way of a shift of date and time of the match.
“Also, our praise also goes to Ikpeazu for the huge financial support to hire a chartered flight for the match in Libya.”