A much lower proposal of 150,000 Naira per player of the victorious Golden Eaglets has been tabled by the sports ministry after a proposal of 750,000 Naira-a-player was rejected by the country’s Presidency as “too much”.
It has already been reported that the federal government has rejected an initial proposal by the sports ministry to reward the Eaglets after they won a fifth FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile last month.
This week the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has warned that next year will be rough for the country because of the poor economy and has moved to cut back drastically on government spendings.
It would therefore be seen as double standards if the government now splashes a fortune on the schoolboy stars.
“The proposal has been reviewed after the first rejection. We wait for the green light from the presidency on the date for the reception and the reward,” a sports ministry official disclosed. – Vanguard.
While one understands the present economic circumstances, the decision that N750,000.00 per player is too much also leaves one feeling perplexed on what messages we are invariably sending to the future generation as to the value, not necessarily monetary, that we place on achievements and service to fatherland. This position falls on its face when you even consider what those in football administration would have earned as estacodes and other reimbursables per day just for chaperoning these children to the tournament! These kids put everything, physical and emotional on the line to achieve this feat and I think they should be properly rewarded so others feel encouraged. In management, you don’t only punish bad behavior, you reward good ones.
I am a firm supporter of frugality in positions of public trust but one must remind the government that in today’s Nigeria at an exchange rate of N275/$, N750,000.00 amounts to only US$2,700.00 rather than over US$800,000.00 at N0.9/$ in 1984! You cannot buy a good Tokunbo car with N750,000.00 neither is it enough to get through two years of university, public or private.
I think N750,000.00 is even inadequate. We must also find other creative and inspiring ways to reward our achievers, particularly the youths in order to turn the tide of cynicism and disilution created in their minds by years of neglet and inattention to their future.