NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, has announced that the Nigeria Football Federation will be providing assistance to struggling Nigerians during the home lockdown imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The global economy has been paralyzed by the Coronavirus pandemic, and Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous nation, has also been significantly affected.
With over 300 confirmed cases and ten deaths in Nigeria, Pinnick stated that the football body will help ease the hardship caused by the shutdown of businesses and commercial activities by distributing yam tubers.
“Behind the scene, we do quite a lot. We are going to support some of these centers even if it is buying some tubers of yams. We have to do that. Covid-19 is something that nobody expected,” Pinnick said on Channels TV.
Pinnick also explained that his decision to include ‘payment of salary in Naira’ in Coach Gernot Rohr’s new contract was in line with the current economic realities in Nigeria.
“Like I said, we are going to take many difficult decisions that will go across board because we need to promote our fiscal policy,” he added.
“If the government is saying that we need to strengthen our naira, we should not be paying in dollars. We are an integral part of the government.
“When they [Super Eagles] play in Nigeria, their bonuses have been in naira. When they play abroad, we pay them in dollars but that can even change.”