N1.2M FACEBOOK ACCOUNT: NSC RESPONDS

Few days ago, I wrote a story on how National Sports Commission opened a facebook page for N1.2m, the Commission however has debunked the rumour, here's statement

THE NSC FACEBOOK PAGE:
The attention of the National Sports Commission has been drawn to posts on the Commission's Page alleging that the Commission spent the sum of N1.2m to open a Facebook Page. Nothing can be further from the truth. The truth of the matter
is:
i) The idea to open a Facebook Page for the
National Sports Commission (NSC) was muted by the ICT Unit of the Commission. The objective of the project was to "use Facebook as an interactive forum to connect the Nigerian youth all over the world with the National Sports Commission and its mission".
ii) During the course of briefing the immediate past Hon. Minister of Sports/Chairman, National Sports Commission, Alh. Yusuf Suleiman, he directed that a more aggressive approach be adopted in projecting the Facebook Page. The Hon. Minister (HM), who has a personal Facebook Page, also directed that the Facebook crew should accompany him to visit all the athletes
and their coaches who were in various camps
across the country in preparation for the 10th All Africa Games. Furthermore, he directed that the crew should attend the 10th AAG in Maputo to update the Page on happenings during the Games.
iii) Consequent upon the Hon. Minister's
directives, a Memo dated August 2, 2011 seeking for N902,000.00 was approved for a two-man team to visit the various camps. This was to enable the crew interact directly with the athletes and their coaches and obtain firsthand information about them for Facebook Page.
iv) Following the directive of the HM to adopt a more aggressive approach in projecting the
Facebook Page, it was decided at the ICT Unit
level that the NSC Facebook Page should be
advertised in Facebook. An initial sum of $200 was committed to this. This immediately translated to a tremendous increase in the followership of the NSC Facebook within one week.
v) It is no secret that Facebook Pages can either be used as:
a) a personal social interactive forum; or
b) a commercial tool to advertise goods and
services, project a cause, draw awareness to
products, canvass for followership, etc.
The Commission's Facebook Page was deployed for the second category, which naturally attracts advertisement costs. The creators of Facebook can be contacted on this.
vi) Furthermore, following the success of the
advert, another memo dated August 26, 2011 for N300,000.00 was approved to step up and
extend the advertisement of the Page, purchase Internet Modems with a one month additional subscription.
vii) We wish to state that:
a) Opening of Facebook pages does not attract any form of payment and the NSC Facebook Page was opened at no cost.
b) The initial $200 paid for advertisement was privately funded.
c) The sums of N902,000.00 and N300,000.00
were approved for the Facebook Page crew to
accompany the HM on his visits to the various camps of athletes and their coaches and to purchase internet modems with additional one month subscription respectively. Of this amount, the sum of $1,000 (N160,000.00) was to advertise the NSC Facebook Page in Facebook and the Page was so advertised.
Ok, the facebook crew got N1.2m for welfare, subscription and modem, N160, 000 for advert, oh ok…..Hmmmmm!

WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE FACEBOOK PAGE

The picture above is National Sports Commission facebook profile picture, the last time we all checked, facebook was FREE, payment in any kind or form was no prerequisite in opening the social site. This morning, I came across the story (according to Tribune report) of how National Sports Commission opened a Facebook account for N1.2 million and till now, I’m still wondering what went wrong. Perhaps there are stuffs we don’t know, did they employ the services of web designers, cartoonists, graphic artists to make the commission’s facebook page look superb or are they ‘planning to furnish and install gadgets inside? Too many questions begging for answer.
My interest and that of well meaning Nigerians are piqued and we want to know how it happened.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission,  Patrick Ekeji has however been summoned by the House of Representatives over this issue as well as his commission’s expenditures, including N3.7billion for the 10th All Africa Games.

According to the report:
“He will also give appraisal of how various expenditure was handled by the Commission from 2009-2011.
“When Chief Ekeji came to the Assembly last week, he was asked to make available relevant documents relating to the expenditure to the last All Africa Games in Maputo.
“He (Chief Ekeji) is expected to defend how he transferred monies to 19 sports federation;  N1,200,000.00 (One million, two hundred thousand naira) used in opening Facebook account for the National Sport Commission; N182, 124, 179,000.00 used in rehabilitating the National Stadium in Lagos, and another N117,875,820.95 used in rehabilitating the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (Liberty Stadium) Ibadan. Ekeji will also provide warrant of approval by President Goodluck Jonathan for him to expend the sum of N350,000,000.00 from the yet to be approved 2012 Budget for the London 2012 Olympic Game.”

Just checked through the page, it has 5, 468 likes and there’s nothing outstanding about it…..Explanation pls!!

Source: Ynaija

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