Izuchukwu OkosiPlayers of the Super Falcons are expected to prosecute their third-place final of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco against Zambia Friday evening despite the boycott of their training on Wednesday reports Prime Business Africa.
The players’ angst were over the non payment of their match winning bonuses and camp allowances.
There were also previous incidents of the country’s football ruling body not fulfilling their obligations especially after qualifying for major tournaments.
Amid fears that like on previous occasions their monies will not be paid after today’s game against the Shipolopolo, the players refused to train.
The Nigeria Football Federation however intervened on Thursday and credited the accounts of the players with $1,000 each.
The $1,000 was however specifically the players’ camp allowances.
Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ademola Olajire on Thursday cleared the air on issues regarding the Falcons unpaid bonuses and allowances.
According to Olajire, “A $100 daily allowances for 10 days, totalling $1,000 and the balance of daily allowances have been paid by the NFF on Wednesday night.
“The money paid by the NFF is not part of win-bonus payments,” Olajire explained.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons will get all their WAFCON qualifying bonuses and tournament winning bonuses going by the words from the Sports Ministry.
Special Assistant to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development on Multimedia, Toyin Ibitoye on Thursday confirmed that President Buhari has given approval for the intervention fund requested by the Sports Ministry for the payment of Super Falcons’ allowances noting that the Ministry of Finance was already working on processing an d releasing the funds.
The third place final between Nigeria and Zambia kicks off 9pm. Both countries lost to Morocco and South Africa in the semifinals albeit in controversial circumstances.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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