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13 World Cup teams criticize UEFA President's 'uninteresting matches' remark
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
A group of 13 World Cup teams, including debutants Cape Verde, Curacao, and Uzbekistan, have issued a joint statement criticizing UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. Their criticism stems from reported remarks in the Slovenian newspaper Delo, where Ceferin allegedly stated that this year's expanded World Cup would feature many "completely uninteresting" matches. The teams firmly rejected these comments, emphasizing that for their countries, no World Cup match is unimportant. They expressed disappointment, stating that such remarks fail to acknowledge the efforts and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, and supporters globally. Ceferin's reported comments suggested that expanding the World Cup to 48 teams from 32 would dilute the tournament's quality. While he was also quoted by another Slovenian outlet acknowledging that small countries could participate and experience the World Cup, the 13 teams' statement asserted that all participating nations deserve respect and that every team has earned its place. Other signatories included the football federations of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, the Ivory Coast, and South Africa. A UEFA spokesperson, when contacted, did not deny Ceferin's comments but referred to a previous interview where the World Cup expansion was not mentioned.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
The National Pension Commission PenCom has introduced a monitoring platform to enhance compliance with the Contributory Pension Scheme CPS among sub-national governments. This initiative includes the first Bi-Annual Consultative Session for Heads of Service from states that have not fully adopted or implemented the scheme. Didi Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, attended as a Special Guest of Honour, highlighting the federal government's commitment. Omolola Oloworaran, Director-General of PenCom, expressed concern over the slow pace of execution at the state level, stating that the goal is to collaborate with state governments to build a robust and sustainable pension system. The consultative framework aims to provide support to states facing transition challenges and to help them understand the fiscal benefits of the CPS. Data presented showed that 26 states have passed pension reform laws, but only seven states and the Federal Capital Territory are fully implementing the CPS, leaving 29 states lagging. Delegates acknowledged that technical and political limitations have hindered progress, emphasizing the need for stronger political will, targeted technical support from PenCom, and consistent engagement with organized labor to accelerate implementation.
A boat accident on the River Benue in the Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State has left 11 people feared dead, including a pregnant woman and six children. The incident occurred on Saturday night as the victims were returning from a burial ceremony in Wadata to the Daududawadawa community, an island settlement. A local source, Daniel, reported that the boat, carrying about 40 people, capsized between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. during a heavy downpour and windstorm. Nura Umar, commander of the local vigilante group Operation Shara, confirmed the incident, stating that four bodies have been recovered and buried, while divers continue to search for others. One survivor reportedly lost a baby who was strapped to her back. The state command spokesperson, Udeme Edet, stated she had not yet received a report on the incident. This mishap follows a pledge by the state government six months prior to enforce rigorous safety measures, including the use of life jackets, to address frequent boat accidents on the state's waterways.
Pissa village in Niger State's Borgu Local Government Area experienced a deadly attack by suspected bandits on Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of three residents and the burning of several houses. The incident prompted a military response, though details of the engagement remain unclear. Wasiu Abiodun, the command's spokesperson, confirmed the attack to the News Agency of Nigeria, stating that bandits invaded the village around 9:00 AM. This attack follows earlier reports of a potential invasion in Minna, the state capital, which led schoolchildren to flee their schools on Wednesday, a report that was denied by the state government and police. At that time, Abiodun had assured parents that the police were addressing the situation and confirmed that no attacks had occurred in any schools within the state.