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THE Levy Mwanawasa Stadium management says the K80,000 that the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) paid toward its outstanding debt is just a drop in the ocean.
FAZ owes the stadium management in excess of K1 million that stretches back to 2013 in unpaid user fees.
The debt hit K1.3 million after the Gabon 2017 AFCON qualifier match against Guinea Bissau in June.
However, Football House made a payment of K80,000 to the management on the same day of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifier match between the Chipolopolo and the Mambas of Mozambique last month.
This came after Sports Minister Vincent Mwale urged FAZ to commit part of their game revenue toward servicing the bill saying the Government would not allow free use of the two ultra-modern stadia in the country.
Stadium director Mwifwa Ng’ambi, who confirmed the payment in an interview yesterday, said the amount was not inspiring looking at the outstanding balance of more than K1.2 million.
“Yes I can confirm that they (FAZ) paid us K80,000 on the day of the Mozambique game but they promised to get to us so that we could discuss how the balance can be paid off but they have not come back since.
“It is a good thing to pay something but I think what they brought to us was too little and if we could sit down and see how we can come up with a payment plan, it could help but our colleagues seem not to be willing,” Ng’ambi said.
He said FAZ should own up and fulfil its obligation as a client to the stadium management. Ng’ambi described the relationship between his management and Football House as uninspiring.
“Every one of us should play a part in ensuring that this facility stands a test of time and I think we need to be serious,” he said.
The debt dates back from 2013 during the Brazil 2014 World Cup and Equatorial Guinea 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Chipolopolo are next weekend expected to host Sudan in the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers second round return leg clash.
TimesofZambia
