Lilongwe-based Civil Service United have accused Football Association of Malawi (FAM) of tarnishing the image of the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC)-owned outfit by alleging that it failed to submit audited financial reports. FAM club licensing first instance body awarded full licences to 14 of the 16 FDH Bank Premiership teams following a review held on April 4. However, Civil Service United and Creck Sporting Club were only granted provisional licences with sanctions after allegedly failing to submit audited financial reports, according to FAM.
But Civil Service United board chairperson Rashid Ntelera, in an interview yesterday, said FAM is aware that as a club owned by OPC, they are audited by the National Audit Office, and that this procedure does not fall within FAM’s submission period for club licensing assessment. FAM insists Civil (in green) andCreck did not meet club licensingfinancial criteria. | Nation He said: “As a club owned by government through the OPC, there is no way we can operate without being audited. We have time and again written FAM to explain that we are audited at specific periods by National Audit Office.
“We are not a private-owned club that can just ask anyone to audit us. We follow government’s procedure for conducting the audit and once it is done, we always submit the reports to FAM. “But they portray us as if we fail to produce the audit report which is gives a bad image of not just to the club, but also that of the OPC.” The two clubs have until May 21 to address the outstanding issues, particularly the submission of audited financial reports.
Failure to comply will result in an initial four-point deduction, with a further three points deducted at the end of every subsequent month until they meet the requirements. Creck Sporting board chairperson Muhammad Seleman was not available for comment. But Ntelera said they cannot give a timeline on when the audit report will be ready as they are governed by government regulations.
He said: “The audit report will be ready when National Audit Office audits us and produces the report.” FAM competitions and licensing manager Clement Kafwafwa confirmed in an interview that the two teams did not satisfy the financial criteria. “They are required to resubmit their audited accounts in order to fully satisfy the financial criteria.” he said. Meanwhile, the 14 teams that met all licensing requirements and were granted full licences are Mighty Wanderers, FCB Nyasa Bullets, Silver Strikers, Ekhaya FC, Red Lions FC, Goshen City Dedza Dynamos, Mafco FC, Kamuzu Barracks, Blue Eagles, Masters FC, Mitundu Baptist, Moyale Barracks, Karonga United and Chitipa United.
Kafwafwa expressed satisfaction with the overall progress in compliance, noting an improvement from last season when 11 clubs were granted full licences. He said: “Last year, we had almost 11 teams granted a full license, and also this time, we have got 14 teams that have been given the license. This shows that we have got a very good progress, and the team are complying to what we are looking for.
“What we are seeing now is a continuation of the good foundation that was laid during their time in the National Division League [NDL]. The licensing culture introduced there has helped clubs become more structured, competitive and professional.” Kafwafwa also commended newly-promoted sides Red Lions, Luanar Mitundu Baptist and Masters FC for adapting well to the licensing system introduced during their time in the NDL.