Super Sand Eagles depart camp after 4 years of unpaid allowances.

The Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) might yet be running into another controversy concerning non-payment of bonuses for another set of players, this time the Super Sand Eagles who lost in the final of the Africa Beach Soccer Nations Cup but qualified for the Beach Soccer World Cup scheduled for Bahamas in 2017.

The much publicised face-off with the Super Falcons was resolved by the federal government after the eight-time African champions refused to leave their Agura Hotel in Abuja and embarked on a protest to the national assembly.

They were eventually paid their entitlements, although not in full, on Friday.

Just three days on, TheCable understands that the Super Sand Eagles are complaining of being owed the bonuses for the just concluded 2016 African Beach Soccer African Cup of Nations, as well as a backlog of bonuses running till 2012.

The players insist they are owed $2,000 each for the 2012 Dubai Samsung Invitational Intercontinental Championship, where 12 players represented the country.

“It’s terrible because we are always short-changed,” said one of the players, who did not want to be named.

“From 2012, we have always been in this dilemma for our entitlements. Instead of the agreed $2,000, what we usually get when they pay is the sum of N200,000 naira — without explanation.

“Balance for the 2013 Nations Cup in Morocco is $1200. For the 2015 Copa Lagos, the organizers owe us N40,000 as well as camping allowance of 13 days at N26,000. Then also the appearance fee of $1000. We don’t know who to talk to on it till now.”

A source familiar with the workings of the team told TheCable that camping allowances for the 2016 edition is N2,000 daily per player, which amounts to N82,000 per player.

“Traveling for one week at $100 per day amounts to $700,while transportation is N50,000  per player. Then there is the $3,500 each that was agreed on for qualification for the World Cup.”

When contacted, one of the team officials told TheCable that everything was under control.

The official, who asked for his identity to be protected, said: “Its well, NFF Vice-President Barrister Akinwunmi was here this morning and met with the team.

“He promised them that everything will be sorted that they should bear with the federation. Right now as we speak, they are all leaving the Eko Hotel camp and the NFF will notify them soonest and do the needful.”

Workers Lock Out Minister of Finance, Protest N1.2bn Unpaid Allowances

Staff of the Ministry of Finance, yesterday, prevented  the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, from entering her office following  a protest to  demand the payment of N1.2 billion unpaid  allowance.

As  early as 7am,  the staff had barricaded the gate and chanting  “Adeosun must go. Adeosun must go”. Their placards read: “Staff welfare means nothing to Kemi Adeosun”;  “Adeosun Kemi must stop treating us like foreigners in our country”;  “Mr. President remove Adeosun before she destroys the economy.”

The workers who spoke on condition of anonymity,  said that since the Minister assumed office she has not met with either the workers or the union executives. They alleged that the Minister told them that she was appointed by the President for a specific assignment and not for the staff.

The workers who defied the rains and the presence of armed policemen, vowed to continue the protest until the President removes the Minister.

However, the Director,  Information, in the Ministry of Finance, Salisu Na’nna Dambatta, said the payment known as  a Special Overtime (SOT), was stopped by the last administration in 2014 on the grounds that it was not listed in any extant government Circular, Financial Regulations or the Public Service Rules and the sum of N1.2 billion computed by the staff union for payment could not have been budgeted for in 2016 in the first place, not only because of the paucity of funds but also due to the fact that the SOT allowance was not part of the remuneration in the Federal Public Service. 

The Director also noted that the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Budget Office of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning do not individually or collectively owe any of their personnel their salaries.

“In view of the foregone, the management of the Federal Ministry of Finance wishes to categorically state that the protests have no justifiable grounds,” he said.

Credit: Sun

Legislative Aides Protest N7 bn Unpaid Allowances

Legislative aides of Senators and members of the House of Representatives, who served in the 7th Assembly, yesterday protested the non-payment of their severance gratuities and Duty Tour Allowances, DTA, totaling N7billion at the central lobby of the National Assembly, NASS.

The aides, numbering over 2,500, had after about two hours meeting at the Hearing Room 1 of the House of Representatives, stormed the central lobby of the complex to express their annoyance over the refusal of the management to pay them their entitlements. They threatened to shut down the NASS Complex to administrative and legislative businesses in the nearest future if their demand of urgent payment of the allowances is not met on time.

A detachment of policemen from NASS Division, however, took over the whole arena, immediately they got wind of the protest and prevented leaders of the legislative aides from briefing the press on the detailed outcome of their meeting.

Read More: nigerianpilot