Groans over dwindling forex
BY OBA ADEDARASIMI
The Nigeria Football Federation has paid part of the eight months outstanding salaries it owes the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, but the German is not a happy man despite the development because of the falling value of the naira.
A top official of the NFF in an exclusive chat with The Point confirmed that the coach had been paid two months salaries a week after their last engagements with Liberia and Cape Verde with assurances that the outstanding debts will be cleared soon.
“I can confirm to you that the coach has been paid two months’ salary arrears,” said an official who sought anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.
“The normal thing is that we hear so much noise when officials and players are being owed but everything will go quiet when they are paid. We know we are supposed to pay these people but we also know the kind of challenge we are facing with the economy. We appreciate the coaches and the players for their understanding but the media usually blow these things out of proportion. You can see that federation is going on an aggressive sponsorship drive and by the time we are done, the president has assured everyone the problem will not be there again, we will pay these coaches.”
Meanwhile, a source who is very close to the coach told our correspondent that Rohr had received the funds but he remains unhappy because of the situation with the foreign exchange in Nigeria.
Rohr receives his salaries in Naira as the federation jettisons the idea of remunerating coaches in its employ in foreign currencies.
The sources said the coach is ready to engage his employers to review the policy.
“The new contract he signed with the NFF stipulated that he will be paid in local currency but as someone who lives in Europe he has continued to find this policy unfavourable. Many times when the salary is paid he struggles to change it at the Central Bank of Nigeria at an official rate and it is unimaginable taking it to the black market. He told us he may have to seek a review of that portion of the contract,” the source said.
