Jonathan Agrees to off-set Keshi N78m Salaries

Nigeria’s Presidency has agreed to offset the backlog of salaries owed the country’s coach, Stephen Keshi.

Keshi and his assistants are owed several months’ salaries worth about 78 million Naira by the broke Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The country’s sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi disclosed Keshi will soon be smiling to the bank in respect of his outstanding salaries.

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

“We (sports ministry) don’t have the responsibility of paying the coaches. The 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.”

Officials suggest that Keshi will get his salary arrears within a fortnight.

Keshi qualified Nigeria to next year’s World Cup in Brazil and also led the Super Eagles to win a third Africa cup of Nations earlier this year in South Africa.