Nigeria Nations Cup build-up hit by budget delay

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oochie wally
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Nigeria Nations Cup build-up hit by budget delay

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LAGOS, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Nigeria's preparations for next month's African Nations Cup in Tunisia may be hampered because parliament has not yet passed the 2004 federal budget, a sports ministry official said on Tuesday.

Patrick Ekeji, director of sports development in the sports ministry, told reporters in the Nigerian capital Abuja that the team's financial proposal was included in the budget.

"The money has not come yet. I am sure that before long the government will come out with a pronouncement," Ekeji said.

"It's tough and everyone knows the (government's) ability to provide for every agency is subject to what is available.

"We'll have to manage with the resources we'll have for the tournament."

Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo presented the 2004 federal budget last week to parliament before it embarked on Christmas and new year recess.

Parliament members will resume early next year to deliberate on the budget but in the past it has taken them as long as four months before passing it.

Ekeji said his ministry had loaned 100 million naira (around $730,000) to the Nigerian Football Association (NFA) to prepare for the Nations Cup which starts on January 24.

"Whatever the supervising ministry can do, especially given the passion Nigerians have for football, will be done," he said.

NFA officials said privately the loan would not be sufficient to prepare for the tournament.

The team started a training camp in the Portuguese resort of Faro last weekend with a depleted squad of 10 from 41 invited players.

Nigeria, winners in 1980 and 1994, are drawn with debutants Benin and former champions South Africa and Morocco in their first round group.
shameeka: those nigerian soccer players are very sexy, are they gonna come to america? I want to meet them.
wale: ashewo no be work?
shameeka: what? what does that mean?
wale: nuthin, i said ur so cute

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