BFA struggles with financial reports

Botswana Football Association (BFA) will not present a complete audited financial report to members at the upcoming Annual General Assembly (AGA) to be held in Gaborone this coming weekend, BG Sport can confirm.

If anything, a draft report may be issued instead. This is the second year in succession that the association would have failed to produce the report well in time.  The 2017 and 2018 audited reports were only presented at an Extra Ordinary Meeting that the BFA convened in October 2018. Disgruntled BFA members this week confirmed that they have received official notification regarding the AGA from the association without financial reports in the information pack.

This is despite the constitution saying formal communication should be made seven days before the date of the General Assembly. The notification should contain the agenda, the president’s activity report, the financial statements and the auditors report together with any other relevant documents.

This has left disgruntled members believing that it has become custom for the association not to produce the report.  Moreover, they allege that tempers flew at Lekidi offices this week with members of the National Executive Committee said to be unpleased. Without holding anything back, the members sharply pointed a finger at the BFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mfolo Mfolo, the accounting officer, saying he better have answers as to why things are seemingly going astray.

It appears the members are not at all pleased with the CEO as they added that since Mfolo joined BFA back in 2017, his team has not been able to furnish the members with the financial reports in time. In response, Mfolo admitted that the auditing process was still ongoing but did not take blame for it. “It was an issue of regions sending incomplete information and this has largely caused audit delays,” he said. The CEO explained that in the past, only the BFA office report was compiled however they now have to include reports for all the 17 regions, Botswana Premier League and women football, among others.

“It is not an excuse however we also need them to do their part to ensure that the process is completed well on time. This should not call for any worry as we intend to normalize the matter going forward,” Mfolo said.  He assured that they would be taking action against those that submit required information after much pushing. Mfolo noted to convene an Extra Ordinary Meeting is costly and has to be avoided. They are however headed that way. Meanwhile, there is overwhelming fear that should BFA continue failing to produce the reports on time, it will only worsen things with the already strained relationship between BFA and the Ministry of Sports.

Minister Tshekedi Khama recently said he will be keeping a close eye at BFA and it was alleged that he even demanded access to the association’s audited reports. It was alleged that the Minister was a concerned man in that millions were splashed at BFA with results not showing.

The international football governing body, FIFA is also probably paying attention to details and might not take lightly to BFA failing to produce audited reports on time. In a recent interview with BG Sport, BFA president Maclean Letshwiti said nobody was safe before FIFA. The governing body is reportedly busy doing a clean up campaign and will not take light issues that suggesting maladministration. Nevertheless, Mfolo hinted that they would be submitting a report to FIFA next month.