Super Falcons refuse to vacate hotel in Abuja, reject NFF’s promises
Super Falcons
•Reject $100 a player travelling allowance
Players of the Super Falcons, who on Saturday defeated Cameroon to win their eighth African Women Nations Cup title, yesterday rejected the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) directives to vacate their Agura Hotel, Abuja camp, saying they would not leave the camp until all their emoluments were settled.
The players claim that the NFF has not paid them camp allowances, match bonuses and their coaches’ salaries, which have accrued for over eight months.
One of the players, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian that “officials of the federation came to give each of us $100 as transport allowance and told us to go home with the promise that they will pay us in January.
“That was the same trick they used to deceive us after the qualifiers in Abuja and up till now nobody has said anything about the outstanding bills.
“Now, they are telling us that they are making arrangements for the president to host us at the Presidential Villa. All these are stories we are tired of. We want our money, full stop.”
The NFF yesterday pledged to pay the players and their officials for winning the Women Africa Cup of Nations, but it craved the understanding of the team that the money is not readily available at the moment.
In a statement yesterday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who met with the players and officials at the Agura Hotel, said the Federation was not happy owing players and coaches, but present severe economic challenges informed that it could only continue to seek the understanding of these persons, as well as hoteliers, travel agents and Management and Staff until the situation improves.
“There is no gainsaying that there is severe economic challenges and all organisations, whether government or private, are feeling the pinch. It is not Government’s doing; it is not anybody’s doing. We know we have financial commitment to you (players and officials of Super Falcons) and we have not at anytime stated otherwise. But the money is not readily available at the moment.
“I have come to appeal to you, to understand the situation of the Federation, to understand the situation of the country at the present and exercise patience. We will pay you all monies you are being owed as soon as we receive same from the Government, just as we paid the U17 boys who won the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile last year, after the tournament. And just as we sorted out Coach Samson Siasia’s wages as soon as we had the funds, after the Olympics.”
Related
Sport
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
7 Comments
Shameless and shameful country with no respect to human beings, what a disgrace to Nigeria, what a disgrace to our leaders and what a disgrace to each and every citizen that call him/her self a Nigerian. It is very sad and some thing that is unspeakable and what is happening in our country, cannot happen in another country, even in Zimbabwe, Rwanda and many more. It is very unfortunate that some of us that are in the center of leading is not doing their jobs very well. What we all think is how can we enrich ourselves without understanding the feelings of others. All this is vanity upon vanity. If i am to say, let NFF and all their staff arrange for a soccer match, play in it as see that to play soccer is not easy, it needs a lot of strength and commitment. We all know that a worker is due for his/her wages, please NFF, it is time you guys should stop all this disgrace to our country Nigeria because Nigeria is not for you and your elites alone, Nigeria is for all that live in it. To our sisters that made us proud, congratulations, it is in your hands to fight for your rights, stand up for what you know and believe that it is the right thing, the whole world will be by your side.
for brazil games our team got stranded in atlanta, did i hear eight months benefit not paid. the soldiers sent to protect IDP are busy raping and getting them pregnant.
Brother, you are damn right! Not only the Nigerian Army, who by law, should protect our fellow citizens and unfortunate IDPs, but they’ve reconstituted themselves into rapists and a “death squad” against the people they were supposed to serve! These are evil things that we use to hear happen in Banana Republics like Honduras, Guatamala etc., etc.; you name it? Let me conclude by saying that, I’m so diappointed in the person called the NFF President or Chairman, in the name of Pinnick! When will he resign after so much display of incompetence???
N/IGER/A CU-ST((0-)M)S S-ER-(VIC-E N((0))T-IF-I-CA-TI(0)N (0)F S4L-ES (0)F I-MP((0))U-ND-ED C4-RS F(0-)R 20-16 AU-c-,-TI–(-0)-N HOTLlNE 07063495356 H((0))nda Acc((0))rd # 350,000H(0)nda City # 400,000 H((0))nda Civic # 600,000 H((0))nda Cr(0)sst(0)ur # 750,000 H((0))nda C-R-V # 650,000 H((0))nda (0)dys-s-ey # 550,000 H((0))nda Pil(0)t # 850,000
E #6,500 OF ANY BRAND CALL 07063495356 WE DELIVER TO ANY STATE IN NIGERIA.@ N1000 PER BAGBUY ANY BRAND OF RICE IN AT LOWER RATE #6,500 OF ANY BRAND CALL07063495356 WE DELIVER TO ANY STATE IN NIGERIA.@ N1000 PER BAG
There is severe economic challenge yet the minister and his entourage could afford a private flight to and from the final of the championship. I think the lack of payment of their allowance is not due to any severe economic challenge but a severe misplacement of priorities
yet they go to clubs lavishly spend money on ladies who have invested time and money on make-ups. they go to citizens who have represented us in a competition and tell them trash. where is the body supervising this sports body or they just leave them to individually run it like it is their family business claim they dont have money. where is the EFCC in all this. all they go about doing now is blocking peoples private account in the name of crime. all this irresponsible attitude will soon be eradicated. JUST VERY SOON……
I don’t have an iota of pity for this dunces. How else can dunce be defined than this. Stop coming to represent the zoo.. Period!!!
We will review and take appropriate action.