Adolph Lawrence Accused Of Causing LFA-Sports Ministry Conflict

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

Cllr. Sombo Izetta Wesley has accused Adolph Lawrence, the Vice President for Operations of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), of instigating the bad blood between LFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Speaking last Thursday on the relationship the LFA has with the Sports Ministry, Cllr. Wesley, President of the LFA, disclosed that the problem has been initiated by Mr. Lawrence.

She said, “He cannot be at the LFA and create problem we have with the Sports Ministry.

“We welcomed the new administration and said we were finished with the past but he goes there and says otherwise.”
The LFA President made the comments when she finally met with stakeholders of the LFA, including heads of clubs, sub-committees and associations, at the United Methodist Church Banquet Hall on Ashmun Street.

She was called upon by the group to respond to allegations made in her absence by LFA Vice President Lawrence on October 28, 2006.

Mr. Lawrence raised issues such as the statutes of the LFA not being adhered to; alleged financial malpractice; functions of executives or officials; the LFA-Ministry of Youth and Sports relationship; Ditiro Media Management and Communication Contract; and FIFA Financial Assistance to the LFA.

The other issues asked by the LFA President to respond to included the alleged fist fights among Executive Committee Members and the fate of clubs vis-à-vis cash awards for the 2006 National League.

In her explanation, Cllr. Wesley stated that she was not at the meeting that led to the fist fight among LFA officials.

The LFA boss informed the body that she later called a meeting to investigate the matter. Yet, she said the meeting ended unsuccessfully because some LFA Executives walked out in disagreement with the presence of the LFA Secretary-General, George Williams at the occasion.

Contrary to Mr. Lawrence’s claims that the statues were not being adhered to, Cllr. Wesley mentioned that the laws were being adhered to because she was not a novice at the LFA, having served over the years as Vice President for Administration.

“I know the statues well and will always adhere to it,” she told the group of LFA stakeholders. She then reacted to the allegations of financial malpractices at the LFA.

According to Cllr. Wesley, this was the first time that she was being accused of financial malpractices in all of the organizations she has served.

Relative to the FIFA grant, the female President of the LFA pointed out that there are committees responsible for youth and women football that are supposed to do their works. Cllr. Wesley said she was not supposed to do what the committees ought to do.

About the contract with Ditiro, the LFA President admitted to receiving equipment for the national women football team as well as jerseys and boots that have been submitted to the Sports Ministry.