Lawmakers Demand Evidence As NFF Says It Has Paid Falcons
House adhoc committee says the Nigeria Football Federation should furnish it with meticulous and comprehensive documentation that outlines the financial support extended to the Super Falcons for their involvement in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
This documentation according to the Chairperson, Blessing Onu, should encompass a breakdown of all match bonus payments, leaving no detail unaccounted for.
Furthermore, she said NFF was to provide precise records, valid receipts, and individual payment slips for all 23 players and members of the coaching staff no later than August 30.
Ibrahim Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had told the committee that all match bonuses and allowances for the Super Falcons have been paid.
When the ad-hoc further made inquiries regarding unpaid allowances for the 2019 FIFA women’s world cup, Mr Gusau explained that no funding was released for participation but revealed that in the 2023 FiFA Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand $960,000 was given to all 32 countries that qualified.
The NFF President, Mr disclosed this, when he appeared before the House ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the dispute between the Super Falcons and the NFF.
According to him, the preparation money provided by FIFA was to be used by the countries to prepare the teams for the world cup.
The NFF President added that no fund was provided by the federal government for its staff and officials, rather the federation gets its operational cost from FIFA and CAF.
“The Confederation of African Football (CAF) provides $250,000 per annum as subvention fund”, said the NFF President. “We can’t use this money to pay outstanding allowances for 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he said.
House ad-hoc committee was set up to investigate the dispute between the Super Falcons and the NFF.
Recap.
1) The NFF has often failed to pay the Super Falcons their entitlements when due. This has been the case stretching back to the Year 2000.
2) In 2016 the Falcons had to stage a protest on the streets of Abuja because they had not been paid after winning the 2016 African Nations Cup. Part of the money was paid due to the protest, but part was still not paid. The NFF victimised the coach, Florence Omagbemi, because it blamed her for the players’ protest.
3) The NFF promised to pay the players during the 2019 World Cup. The players staged a sit in protest at their hotel in France because they believed that (a) the NFF would not pay them (b) they NFF would only pay players that were in France and others that played in the 2016 Nations Cup but did not make the 2019 World Cup would not be paid. The NFF victimised the captain, Desire Oparanozie, because it blamed her for the protest.
4) The NFF also did not pay the players for some of the Nations Cup qualifiers and friendlies that were played in 2021. The players went on strike during the 2022 Nations Cup and the NFF paid them part of the money. It then victimised the reserve goalkeeper, Tochukwu Oluehi, because she complained about what the NFF was doing.
5) The NFF promised that it will use the money it gets from FIFA after the 2023 World Cup to pay the players.
6) The House of Representatives created a committee to investigate the issue of the NFF owing the Super Falcons players.
7) The committee complained that the NFF was not cooperating with it and that the NFF president has failed to appear before it.
8 ) The NFF president appeared before the committee yesterday and said that the NFF has paid the players. The committee has asked the NFF to provide proof.
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