After three weeks of delay, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) yesterday began ‘computerization’ of coaches that will benefit from the N2.5 billion-sponsorship deal it signed recently with the country’s foremost integrated energy solutions company, Aiteo Group.
The partnership with Aiteo Group commenced on May 1, but the process of paying the coaches had to be delayed due to what a member of the NFF Technical Committee described as lack of fund to mobilise members to Abuja.
The NFF decided to set up a three-man committee to meet and verify the claims of the coaches, some of who have since left the service of the federation. Members of the three-man committee are Barrister Chris Green, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu and the chairman of chairmen and board member of the NFF, Ibrahim Gusau.
The coaches were invited to appear before the committee yesterday in Abuja. Barrister Green, who is the chairman of NFF Technical Committee, told the press yesterday that they were having hectic time dealing with the situation.
“The list of coaches waiting to get their salaries is long and we have to attend to them one by one. All the coaches are here and we are in touch with those residing outside the country through email. Hopefully, we will round up the process tomorrow evening (today) and we will send the list to Aiteo Group,” Green stated.
The decision of the Aiteo Group to shoulder the responsibility of paying the coaches is expected to remove ‘a heavy burden’ from the shoulders of the NFF.
At a media briefing to unveil the partnership with the NFF early this month, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick highlighted the organisation’s constant financial woes when he said: “I am very happy that a critical area of our expenditure is being taken care of by this agreement.”
The NFF committee is concentrating on the local coaches and those who have left the services of the federation.
I was also disclosed that Super Eagles’ Coach, Gernot Rohr and his Super Falcons’ counterpart, Florence Omagbemi would get their turn soon after.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2017 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
