By Gracious Akujobi The Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, is excited that President Goodluck Jonathan has approved funds for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to clear back log of salaries being owed the Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi.
However, he hastened to tell the Aminu Maigari-led NFF to rise up to its obligation of paying the coaches it hired at the right time.
Disturbed by the embarrasmnet the frequent media reports about the salaries being owed national coaches was causing the nation; the Minister had to appeal to the President for special intervention funds to bail the NFF out.
Abdullahi, has therefore cautioned that the NFF must not take the President for granted, insisting the Executive Committee of the nation’s soccer ruling body must device means of getting money to pay people on its payroll.
The Minister during an interactive session with sports journalists in Abuja said he got Presidential approval for intervention fund on Friday hence, the coaches would be settled any moment.
“I got the approval of Keshi’s salary on Friday, the President of Nigeria should not be playing coaches salary, the Federation should be able to pay their own coaches salaries.
“But if they are not able to do that the President will keep coming to their rescue but that is not right,” Abdullahi said.
