We made no provision for Falcons’ victory, minister confesses
Nigeria’s Super Falcons PHOTO: CAF
The Federal Government yesterday declared that it had premonitions that the female national team, the Super Falcons, will not win the 2016 Africa Women Nations Cup hence it failed to work out the funds for the team’s bonuses and other allowances.
Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, on Wednesday shocked Nigerians when he said the government had no money to offset the outstanding emoluments owed the ladies, who recently won the African Women Nation’s Cup trophy by defeating their Cameroun in the final.
The minister told State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting (FEC) that government was yet to settle the footballers’ dues because of the current economic recession.
Dalung reinforced Mohammed’s explanation on the development, adding, “when the girls came back from Cameroun we had launch with them and they were in high spirits. The communication gap in trying to convey the situation to them could have been what led to it. If the situation was explained to these girls, I don’t think the situation would have gotten to this level. We are working round to clock to ensure that what belongs to them legitimately is given to them.”
He blamed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the current situation, saying, “This has to do with government process. One thing I always make clear is that the process of request for funds for sporting projects must come earlier to meet the objectives.”
He pledged that government would carry out a ‘surgery’ on the sports sector to avert a reoccurrence in the future.
“It is unfortunate that we are celebrating victory of the Super Falcons amidst some bitter feelings among the players because of some administrative lapses that were not managed properly.
“One thing I always make clear is that the process of request for funds for sporting projects must come earlier to meet the objectives. Don’t forget that nobody even knew the team would emerge victorious, if we were confident they would emerge victorious, all the Federation would have done is to plan for process of participation and entitlement.
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15 Comments
If l were the President l will fired everyone from the minister to those NFF cronies that knows nothing about football.
They are playing the scripts of their master.
Buhari must be deaf now. He needs to go back to Britain for a follow up on his hearing problems
Very shameful and one that will only happen in Nigeria. You said that “nobody even knew the team would emerge victorious”, what were they there for, it shows that there was no plan for them from the start, and the worst of all, not that we do not have money to take care for them, it is corruption, why are you blaming the current economic situation in the country when you did not have a plan for the team in the first place. It is very shameful and very sad that what will not happen in any other country worldwide, happens in Nigeria.
Shame on this dalung of a man. What was he preparing the team for? Defeat? How did PMB pick such men as ministers?
Birds of the same feathers flock
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This is very embarrassing. When this government finally put football in “recession” too, then this country will finally be done for. Shame shame shame.
This is so so unfortunate and the most idiotic rationalization of governance and administrative ineptitude I have ever seen.
How can a man set out for war when he think or know he will not win the war. Why did you spend money to send the girls to participate in a tournament if you think or know they will not win the tournament. You go to war believing that you will win no matter how weak you are.
Secondly, how did the Minister of Sport arrived at his assessment of the outcome of the tournament. Why on earth did he say they never thought that the girls will win the tournament when they have won it 7 times, they are the defending champion and obviously the favorite to retain the title. It is either the Minister is dumb, in which case he should be dismissed, or he trying to protect the government that employed and cover their obvious ineptitude.
How can Nigeria move forward with this set of confused individuals? If Jonathan’s people did this, they would have been labeled clueless and called all sorts of dehumanizing names. Everything about this administration is senseless. Mr. Lai Mohammed and Dalung should be sacked immediately and if the president fails to do that, i will assume his incompetence level has now reached its peak. Dalung did not expect a team that has won the cup for about nine times to win the cup. What a senseless and stupid fool. So he planned for the team to fail. The provision for the reward should have been made if they came third, second, or first. Provide for winning the cup and if they fail, you reward them for the next position and return the surplus to Government purse. If they won nothing you just give them something for appearing and withhold the rest package. These thieves will say there is no money and they go about spending money. Where did Buhari get the money he spent sponsoring Hilary Clinton’s campaign? I have heard this story at different fora and that he has not denied it or that his untrained, old lying information Minister has not come out to puke gibberish means they really spent our money on such an irresponsible venture. You lousy APC Government vagabonds in power should go and get money and pay these young girls. Get this done quickly and save your old ugly faces from any further embarrassment.
I t took President Buhari over seven months to pick these sets of clueless and visionless ministers.With these kinds of comments,Nigerians can well predict the direction this” kick and start government” is taking them
Hopeless Government
The federal government now consult their oracles before any action is taken on any national issues. Can you Nigerians listen to your minister of youth and sports? If the federal government knows through their oracle that this young people will not win why did you send them in the first place? I can also tell you why. When you send them there, money will budgeted for them whether they win or loose. Since our youths in sports has been used to being used and dumped they know that if they loose they will not have the audacity to ask questions about what rightly belongs to them. Now the Falcons victory has empowered them to challenge all these fraudsters. I think this minister should be terminated now !!!!!!
So, some people were planning for the team’s downfall while the ladies were sweating it out to come victorious?
This Dalung man again? Is he a comedian?
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