House of Reps speaker Dogara promises to pay Olympic footballers their allowances

HOUSE of Representatives speaker Hon Yakubu Dogara has assured members of the Nigerian mens' football Olympics team that they will paid all their outstanding allowances ahead of tonight's quarter final game against Denmark.

 

Nigeria has qualified for the knock-out stage of the tournament having topped their Group with six points and is due to face Denmark who came second in Group A. However, on Thursday, the players refused to train protesting the fact that they have not been paid their allowances and bonuses.

 

Embarrassed by the debacle, sports minister Solomon Dalung waded in to say the government will seek to address the problem and yesterday, Hon Dogara added that the players would be paid to the last dime all that is owed them. Appealing to the players not to carry out their threat to boycott the match, the speaker noted that football being the major unifying factor in the country should be maximized by all for Nigeria’s continued joy and unity.

 

Hon Dogara said: “We will do all we can to ensure that all entitlements due to the team are paid, as we are already talking to relevant government agencies. We will stop at nothing to ensure that we get the team to excel in Brazil and for Nigeria to recreate the watershed of Atlanta ’96.

 

"The team called off their strike on Friday after the sports minister, Solomon Dalung promised to pay all their allowances ahead of tonight’s quarter final encounter against Denmark at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympics. The Dream Team should take patriotism as a fulcrum of their campaign."

 

He said the team with the likes of John Mikel Obi, Yakubu Umar, Oghenekaro Etebor and William Troost-Ekong has a very bright chance of repeating the feat of the Atlanta ’96 Dream Team led by the legendary Nwankwo Kanu and the team should be encouraged by all Nigerians. In Atlanta, Nigeria won Olympic gold and there are hopes that the current team will emulate this feat.

 

Meanwhile, Nigeria is sweating on the fitness of four-goal hero against Japan Oghenekaro Etebo after he suffered hamstring injury in the team’s final group game against Colombia. Etebo was forced out of the Colombia game with the injury and Nigeria were forced to finish it with 10 men as coach Samson Siasia had used up all his substitutions.

 

Nigeria’s injury problems were further worsened after Al Ahly new signing Junior Ajayi was reportedly injured in training before the Colombia match. Kick-off time for tonight's showdown against Denmark is by 8pm Nigerian time.