Abuja – The Minister of Sports, Bolaji
Abdullahi, has blamed the inability of Nigeria
Football Association (NFA) to pay the salary
arrears of Super Eagles’ coach Stephen Keshi
on “system problems’’.
Abdullahi told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja
that the ministry and the NFA were however
working towards resolving the issues which
caused the delay in the payment of the salaries.
The minister, who is also the Chairman,
National Sports Commission (NSC), also blamed
Keshi for speaking to the media on the issue.
He said Keshi should have given his employers
enough time to resolve the matter, instead of
taking it to the media.
“If NFA is having problems paying Keshi’s
salary, it means that the system has a problem
and that system has to be addressed.
“It is unfortunate that Keshi has to bring out
the issue of his salary and make it a media issue,
because it is something that can be addressed
internally,’’ Abdullahi said.
He revealed that the NSC had already waded
into the matter, saying the issue should not
have been brought into the public glare.
“We are taking the right steps to support the
NFA to meet this obligation. But, for me, it is
not something that is supposed to be a media
issue.
“However, do you boycott working or call a
press conference because somebody is owing
you salary?
“When you get a job you do it and you don’t go
about embarrassing your employers because
your salary is delayed,’’ Abdullahi said.
The minister, however, assured that the
National Sports Commission (NSC) would do all
that was necessary to resolve the matter.
“Keshi is entitled to his wages. He is a great
coach and has done a very good job. But the
issues of his salary could have been settled
between him and his employers.
“If his employers have problems that they
cannot pay, then they will come to us.
“If we are not able to help, then, we go to the
higher authorities and tell them that we have a
problem,’’ Abdullahi said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
Keshi is being owed about N35 million in salary
arrears by the NFA.
The NFA had at different occasions claimed it
reduced the debt, but it had also failed to say
how much it had been able to pay to Keshi who
is on a monthly salary of N5 million.
Keshi had on Oct. 23 told newsmen that the
seven-month salaries being owed him by the
NFA was “the lowest point’’ of his coaching
career.
Aminu Maigari, the NFA chairman, had recently
said that the debt was because the association
was cash-strapped.(NAN)

naijamayor.com/bolaji-abdullahi-blamed-the-inability-of-nfa-to-pay-the-salary-of-keshi-on-system-problems/

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/unpaid-salaries-sports-minister-slams-keshi-defends-nfa/