By Akeem Busari
The National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) has intensified its drive towards ensuring a better and healthier life after football for its members.
Towards achieving this and other laudable objectives of the foremost players’ union, the body has set up the NANPF/SIGMA Nigeria Professional Footballers Pension Scheme (NPFPS).
NANPF President Tijani Babangida, MON, during the past week led a delegation that included the union’s Secretary-General, Austin Popo, on a sensitization tour of Katsina and Kano states where they admonished the players of both Katsina United and Kano Pillars about the planned pension scheme as well as life after football and other football related issues.
“We are determined to ensure Nigerian footballers live a better and healthier life after retirement from football. That is why we have planned this pension scheme and also encouraging our footballers to key into this project.
“The unsavoury stories of old and young footballers falling on hard times must stop. Footballers should no longer live a beggarly life after their careers,” Babangida, a former Super Eagles and Ajax of Holland star lamented.
“I understand how and why retired footballers in other parts of the world, particularly, Europe, continue to live good lives after their careers. They have a pension and welfare scheme that takes care of their players. And that’s what we (NANPF) are determined to replicate here for the benefits of our footballers,” he remarked.
He went on to reveal that the union would continue the sensitization campaign as it planned to visit other parts of the country this week.
