Philip Nyam 
The House of Representatives on Wednesday summoned the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) over the planned protest by the senior female national team, Super Falcons regarding the alleged nonpayment of their allowances and other welfare issues ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup tournament.
This was consequent upon a motion sponsored Hon. Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun).
Presenting the motion, Osoba said the Super Falcons currently face significant challenges and unrest within the team, which threaten to disrupt their participation in the upcoming 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
He expressed concerns over the potential embarrassment and negative impact such protest would have on Nigeria’s reputation if the planned protest and boycott go ahead without intervention as witnessed in previous incidents involving the Nigerian Women’s Basketball Team.
He also noted recent reports regarding the ongoing dispute between the Super Falcons and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over unpaid match bonuses and inadequate support for the team’s preparation for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
He informed that the Super Falcons had threatened to boycott their opening game on July 21, a situation which he said will lead to embarrassment for the government and would jeopardise Nigeria’s participation in the tournament.
However, captain Onome Ebi denied the team is planning to boycott their first game against Canada.
In adopting the motion, the House summoned the NFF and other relevant stakeholders to appear before its adhoc set committee today to provide a detailed report on the steps taken to resolve the dispute and ensure the smooth participation of the Super Falcons in the 2023 Women’s World Cup
The adhoc committee is also mandated to investigate the dispute between the Super Falcons and the NFF and propose necessary reforms to prevent the planned protest and boycott at the mundial as well as to prevent future occurrences.
The House also urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pay match bonuses and allowances to the Super Falcons.
