Jonathan Orders to Pay Keshi’s Salary

 

The Federal Government has promised to pay the outstanding wages of Super Eagles’ coach Stephen Keshi.

The Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed he had received approval from President Goodluck Jonathan to pick up the tab for Keshi and his assistants, who are owed a total of about 78 million Naira ($485,000, 357,000 Euros), while Keshi’s share amounts to 36 million Naira, approximately.

“The Presidency has made arrangements to pay the salary arrears of the coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi,” Abdullahi told reporters.

“We (the Ministry of Sports) don’t have the responsibility of paying the coaches. The (Nigerian Football) Federation has that responsibility.

“But the government cannot say ‘let the federation handle it on their own’ anymore. Since it was not in our budget, I had to appeal to the Presidency and everything should be cleared soon,” the Minister concluded.

Keshi, who earns about five million naira a month but has not been paid for at least half a year, took Nigeria to glory in the Africa Cup of Nations and helped the team qualify for the World Cup finals in Brazil. It has been a week a good news for the coach, as the NFF confirmed Keshi would take the Super Eagles to 2014 World Cup.