Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-01-29 04:22:08
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has stated that the delay in settling the Super Eagles’ allowances is due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) delay in releasing the funds meant for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. Despite the Federal Government’s announcement of a N12.5 billion fund for the campaign and other outstanding issues, the players are being owed match bonuses and other entitlements, according to sources in the team’s camp in Abidjan.
Before the competition, the NFF announced that each player would receive a win bonus of $5,000, $2,500 for a draw, and a daily camp allowance of $200. However, the federation has only managed to settle the camp allowances from the team’s camping in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and some daily allowances in Cote d’Ivoire. No official, including some members of the technical team, has received any allowance due to the CBN’s delay in releasing the fund.
An NFF official acknowledged that the federation has pleaded with Sports Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, to intervene before the players become restless over the issue. The official stressed that the NFF board is focused on building a good relationship with the players based on trust and believes that paying them their entitlements when due will help in cementing this relationship. The official expressed concern over the CBN’s delay in releasing the money.
In summary, the NFF has attributed the delay in settling the Super Eagles’ allowances to the CBN’s delay in releasing the funds for the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite the announcement of a significant fund for the campaign, the players are still owed match bonuses and other entitlements, leading to concerns about the players’ restlessness. The NFF has sought the intervention of the Sports Minister to address the issue and emphasized the importance of building a good relationship with the players through timely payment of their entitlements.
