By Daily Sports on April 11, 2018

The Nigerian Players Union (NANPF) has called for immediate intervention of the board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in ensuring that players welfare is properly addressed by clubs where the players ply their trade following recent development seen by the Union as deliberate actions and inactions by some top officials of the NFF board to frustrate its efforts in the pursuit of players welfare and other issues relating to their career in the domestic league.

A statement issued on Monday in Lagos on behalf of NANPF, signed by the AGS Communication, Comrade Danladi Musa, said that despite various and several attempts made by the union in different forms which includes verbal discussions, text messages and official letters written by the union, requesting the NFF to address these issues, it has practically fallen on deaf ears, with its excruciating consequences on the lives of Nigeria players on daily basis.

“In all of these developments, the Football Federation continues to lose its relevance and authority on vital constitutional matters by transferring statutory functions to the league bodies which in most cases are never carried out, especially by the LMC, leaving the coaches and players to leak their wounds.

“For example the Union has on several occasions informed the leadership of the board of the NFF to address some of the following issues without getting any positive response:

“The Players Union requested for the dissolution and re-composition of the NFF players Status and Arbitration Committee in line with the relevant provisions of the NFF and FIFA statutes,” it said, adding: “Please note that reference here is FIFA statutes and not CAF statutes.”

The statement further noted “The consequence is that the players status and arbitration committee has not functioned for the past four years, which suggest that the issues involving players and club disputes has been difficult to get attention. It got worse to the extent that when the NFF transferred her responsibility to the LMC by instructing the leagues bodies not to register clubs to participate in the 2015/2016 season until they clear their indebtedness in line with the decisions of the players status and arbitration committee in 2010, which was revalidated in 2015, the leagues body ignored the directives of the NFF.

“Till date, apart from Rivers United, which paid the debts owed the players and coaches at the rate of 50% deduction only this year following a protest march to government house, which ridiculed the status and integrity of the players; in line with FIFA rules, the debts would have attracted some percentage increment for delay in payment.”

Also “Another issue that has been in public domain for too long is the matter of late Izu Joseph vs 3sc. I think this should have been laid to rest if our Football administrators are committed and concerned about the welfare of players.  For instance, why is the LMC having difficulty in transferring the case file to NNL, as requested by the NNL following the relegation of 3sc to the lower league?

“Unfortunately it has become difficult for the LMC to do the needful. The last time the union discussed the issue with the Chief Ole, rating Officer of the LMC, he said he needed clarifications from the LMC Chairman, and surprisingly, up till now to our knowledge, nothing else has been done.

“Yet, another issue is the nonpayment of allowances and bonuses of late Uzoma Douglas, a former player of the under-20 national team murdered in Benin in December 2016. With the effort of the Union, some board members and NFF made some contributions to the burial of the late Player, but his allowances and bonuses amounting to 4,000 USD, plus N400,000 already approved by the president of the NFF is yet to be paid. This is very frustrating and has made the family of the deceased left behind to suffer and reduced to beggars,” the statement declared.

It said: “Statutory funding of the players Union by the Football Associations /Federations and the leagues from monies generated through Sponsorship and TV rights is a global practice which is facilitated through a Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the leagues and the Federation or Association,” adding: “It will be recalled that the Union has commenced this process with the LMC since 2016.”

“Unfortunately, in his usual style, LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, has not kept his promise to the Union and has failed to show commitment to the signing of the CBA which is like a clog in the wheel of the Union in discharging its statutory functions. This has led the Union to declare a trade dispute with the LMC which makes the matter to be before the Federal Ministry of labour and Employment. Of course, this unfortunate situation is uncalled for had it been LMC chairman has done the needful.

“After a careful analysis of these issues and many others, not to be mentioned here the Union have decided to send this SOS to   the board members for their perusal and immediate intervention because it is becoming an embarrassment that, the player's Union a very dedicated and important member of the Congress is deliberately turned to a beggar institution.

“The Union will definitely defend and pursue her pride and rights when it matters most. We are saying this now so that nobody should read any political colouration to our actions, because we will definitely fight for what belongs to us by right,” the statement affirmed.

•Photo shows Photo shows LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 11, 2018

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