‘FG Should Create Bonds To Forestall Players’ Rebellion’

A former chairman of the Gombe State Football Association, Alhaji Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, has urged the Federal Government to establish bonds as a way to bridging the financial gap experienced by sports federations and players.

While reacting to the recent protest by Super Falcons players over unpaid allowances, the CEO of Green White Green Sports Center said the government has the responsibility to fund activities of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) because it was created by law.

“Since football is governed by law in the form of an act, the federal government has the responsibility to fund it. NFF has the right to be funded by the government unlike other federations that are created by stakeholders which the government has no right to fund but can assist them in form of grants etc,” he said.

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He further said, if the bonds are created, it will mitigate corruption and short-changing of players when funds are to be disbursed to them.

“The government should establish bonds that will be domiciled in the Central Bank. These bonds will take care of bonuses, allowances and other entitlements of the players. We have different sporting events across the world and they will need funding and this is where bonds can come in.

“Bonds are not physical cash per say but are tied down and no one touches it. When a national team, regardless of the sport, is stranded, the CBN can release the bonds.

In fact, it eliminates corruption and perhaps short-changing of players,” he concluded.