Drama Ends As Federal Government Finally Pays The Super Falcons

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has paid players and officials of the Super Falcons their outstanding allowances after receiving the money from the Federal Government on Friday. This is according to a statement by NFF’s spokesman, Ademola Olajire in Abuja. The statement quoted NFF’s Head of Women’s Football, Ruth David as saying, “the bank accounts of the players and officials are being credited as we speak. They will all receive credit alerts of the monies due to them, as released by the government, before the end of the day.” The payments were for the Super Falcons’ participation at the 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, which the team won after defeating hosts Cameroon 1-0 in the final in Yaounde on 3rd December. Olajire said the money released by the Federal Government included allowances due to players and officials of the Super Eagles for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Algeria, played in Uyo in November. “A breakdown of the Super Falcons’ monies showed that each player got the sum of N5,494,500, less the sum of N600,000 that was earlier paid to each of the players at various times by the NFF. The amount is at the rate of $17,900 (converted to Naira at the official rate of N305 to $1), plus the sum of N15,000 camp allowance and N20,000 transport allowance. All the monies were converted at the official rate of N305 to $1. Head Coach Florence Omagbemi got a total of N11,014,000 less the sum of N800,000 paid to her earlier. Assistant coaches Ann Chiejine, Perpetua Nkwocha and Bala Mohammed, as well as the backroom staff were N8,274,250 richer. The equipment manager got a total of N4,114,625,” the statement said. The players protested following the failure of the NFF to pay their outstanding allowances. On Wednesday they took their protest to the National Assembly where they were addressed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who promised them that they would be paid in 48 hours. A NAN correspondent who visited the Agura Hotel, where the players were lodged, discovered that they had left the hotel.