By Charles Maduka
The Federal Government has assured that match bonuses owed to Super Eagles players at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations will be paid before Friday, following concerns over delayed allowances.
The Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the payments had passed the necessary regulatory stages and would begin reflecting in the players’ domiciliary accounts immediately. She explained that the delay was caused by the process of converting funds to foreign currency, which the players requested.
The assurance followed reports that the Super Eagles threatened to boycott travel to the venue of their quarter-final match against Algeria over unpaid bonuses. The players had yet to receive allowances for the four matches they have played so far in the tournament.
Uzoka-Anite said the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria had streamlined the foreign exchange process to ensure prompt payment. She added that steps were being taken to prevent similar delays in the future by making disbursement procedures faster and more predictable.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, said all financial entitlements of the players and officials had been approved since November and were being processed. He expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved as the team prepares to face Algeria in the quarter-final, having won all four of their matches so far in the competition.
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