The Nigeria Football Federation have finally paid the first batch of back wages owed to coaches in its employ after receiving a first tranche of payments from its new sponsor Aiteo Group.
The NFF's Second Vice President Shehu Dikko, who is also Chairman of the NFF Sponsorship, Marketing and Television Advisory Committee, said on Tuesday that about N100million of that first tranche has been used to offset all outstanding salaries of 27 coaches.
That number also includes coaches who had been owed for services rendered during the tenure of previous administrations.
The salaries of the Super Eagles' Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr have also been settled up to date from the Forex component of the transaction with Aiteo.
Dikko said, as part of the NFF's transparency processes, that the payments were made direct to the accounts of the beneficiaries through NFF's Financial Consultants (Financial Derivatives Company).
The financial services experts were appointed at the beginning of the new NFF board's tenure to manage the funds from the sponsors upon verification of the processes by NFF external auditors, PWC and payment instructions from the NFF secretariat.
"We are very happy to announce that we have been able to pay a total of 27 coaches all the monies they were being owed, including some who worked with previous NFF Boards in what we termed 'legacy payments'," Dikko said, as per the NFF's official website.
"It is our joy that the coaches can finally smile to the bank. A labourer deserves his wages, and that is why the present NFF administration worked assiduously hard to ensure the realization of this partnership.
"The NFF is grateful to Aiteo Group for this breakthrough in making our coaches happy."
"The list cuts across all the National Teams: From the coaches of the Super Eagles to the coaches of the Beach Soccer National Team," Dikko continued. "Our joy is that each and every one of them who turned for the exercise is quite happy now."
The benefiting coaches are: Salisu Yusuf, Alloy Agu, Fatai Amao, David Ngodigha, Ann Chiejine, Bala Mohammed, Kabiru Baleria, Emeka Amadi, Peter Dedevbo, Toyin Ayinla, Wemimo Oni, Auwal Bashir, Manu Garba, Bala Nikyu, Lateef Yusuf, Nduka Ugbade, Jolomi Atunne Alli, Ernest Salolomo, Queen Dolyn Akpan, Adamu Audu Ejo, Godwin Okon, Justin Madugu, Gidado Usman, Florence Omagbemi, Perpetua Nkwocha, Emmanuel Amuneke, Christopher Danjuma