Lockdown: We will support Nigerians with yam tubers – NFF

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, has revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation will be doing their bit to support hungry Nigerians during the home lockdown caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Coronavirus pandemic has paralysed the global economy, with Nigeria, Africa’s most populated nation not left behind.

Nigeria now has over 300 confirmed cases of Coronavirus with ten deaths and Pinnick says the football body will be alleviating the hardship brought upon Nigerians by the shutdown of businesses and commercial activities by giving out tubers of yam.

“Behind the scene, we do quite a lot. We are going to support some of these centres 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 added 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.”