Falcons protest: Adeosun, Dalung shun Buhari’s directive

President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to the ministers of finance and sports that the protesting Super Falcons players should be paid by yesterday is yet to be carried out.

Both ministers Kemi Adeosun (Finance) and Solomon Dalung (Sports) were directed by the Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari to ensure the payment to the Falcons after the protesting players met with him at the Aso Villa gate.

Daily SunSports investigation reveals that the players and officials of the team are yet to get payment as promised by the Chief of Staff.

As at the time of filing this report, the girls confirmed that no money had hit their accounts nor had anyone come to them regarding their outstanding entitlments after the meeting with the Chief of Staff and are now hoping that they would be paid today so that they can head to the homes and clubs.

“Nothing has happened yet and we’re hoping that by today (Friday) omething will happen. We want to believe what the Chief of Staff told us and we’re waiting patiently,” one of the players told Daily Sunsport.

Sports minister, Dalung says the federal government is working assiduously to help the NFF raise intervention funds, to offset the debt owed the players but disagrees that a specific time period can be put on the payment, contrary to what the Chief of Staff vowed.

A source in the ministry towing the same line of thought revealed also that meeting the deadline may be possible but assured that the players and officials will get their entitlements by next week.

The Falcons had earlier on Wednesday embarked on a protest march against the non-payment of their allowances by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The footballers, who won the African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) for the eighth time in Cameroon, has refused to leave their hotel rooms at Agura Hotel in Abuja.

They had, upon returning from the competition which they won on December 3, been waiting for the payment at the hotel where they were accommodated by the NFF.

Speaking later, the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari, told State House correspondents on Wednesday that the issue had been resolved.

He said government had since directed appropriate authorities to settle the players’ allowances and bonuses.

The problem has been resolved. They have done us proud and we congratulated them. The Ministries of Sports and Finance have been directed to pay tomorrow (Thursday).

He had assured them that their outstanding payment would be settled within 24 hours.
The players, led by team captain Rita Chikwelu, had during the protest expressed their displeasure at the non-payment of their allowances and bonuses.