President Bola Tinubu has approved the payment of N12bn in outstanding allowances to national teams and coaches of various sports, demonstrating his commitment to sports development in Nigeria.
The announcement was made by Minister for Sports Development, Senator John Owan-Enoh, during his thanksgiving service to appreciate God for his appointment as Minister in the Federal executive cabinet.
According to Owan-Enoh, Tinubu’s commitment to sports development in Nigeria is unparalleled, and he is dedicated to bringing joy and happiness to Nigerian homes through sports.
The Minister also challenged the Super Eagles ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, adding that the whole country would be waiting in anticipation of the outcome of their matches from the continental fiesta.
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Despite the controversial nature of the sporting sector, the Minister said, he has been able to navigate through with proper diligence, although the country will be competing on many fronts.
He said:
“The senior team national coach has not been paid for 15 months, the salary is about $1.350 million.
“The senior national team and other national teams; females, under 20 had a backlog of unpaid allowances, unpaid promises, and all of that piling up close to about N12 billion, the president has approved all of that payment.
“There’s no better way to show support and leadership than what he has done.
“People say I got the toughest job as the minister of Sports development.
“It’s only in sports that we compete with other countries and regions of the globe.
“The AFCON is around the corner, later we will be competing with the rest of the world in the Olympics and Paralympics; we are committed to making a mark in sports development.”