Premier league players to join security funds
The government is in talks with the Social Security Regulatory
Authority (SSRA) to see how premier league soccer players can be
included in the security funds, the National Assembly was told
yesterday.
The Deputy Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports,
Juma Nkamia said most football clubs in the country offer job contracts
to players thu
s it was important to ensure they join the security
schemes like other workers.
“Most Tanzanian footballers retire around the age of 35 after
playing for approximately 10 to 15 years. It is essential that as they
leave, they have something to carry home,” he said.
The deputy minister said security funds should take the opportunity
and see how best the players, some with short contracts can be served
like other members.
Such a facility should include provisions of how the funds can
collect deductions from various clubs within the time of the player’s
services.
Nkamia was responding by Ileje MP Aliko Kibona (CCM) who sought to
know what plans the government has made to ensure premier league clubs
enroll their players in social security schemes.
The legislator blamed the clubs for not adhering to the Social
Security Funds Act of 1964 that requires all employers to register their
employees with social security funds.
“Why can’t the government order those clubs to comply with the law just like other employers in the country,” he demanded.
The MP argued that when players retire because of age, permanent
injury or reduced ability to play, they need to be given some start up
funds to adapt to a new life situation without sport earnings.
The deputy minister said the government was working on the matter,
praising Young Africans SC of Dar es Salaam for the good effort of
entering negotiations with NSSF to provide a housing loan scheme to
their players.
Meanwhile, the government has promised to intervene on the high deductions the premier league teams face in each match.
“I have met Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) officials and other
stakeholders in discussion to see how to harmonize the deductions. It is
true the deductions are too big and many,” said the deputy minister.
The Dar es Salaam Regional Football Association (DRFA) was getting
double shares in the deductions while it was not doing anything visible.
“It is not known what the DRFA is doing with the money,” he told MPs.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
No comments :
Post a Comment