The LMC Board of Directors Thursday held a meeting via online digital media with the NPFL club owners, where it agreed to support clubs in the league to meet up with their commitments to players and staff during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
The meeting also agreed that should there be any exceptional support to NPFL, the privately funded clubs in the NPFL will get priority attention in the distribution.
Reacting to the development, National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers (NANPF), in a statement by its General Secretary, Comrade Austin Popo, it described the decisions reached by the League Management Company and the league club owners as commendable.
The clubs at the meeting affirmed their commitment to paying salaries and wages of their players and officials during the period. Stating that they have no intentions of cutting down salaries and wages of players and officials under the current circumstances, but are even thinking of how to keep supporting their players within this difficult period in line with the objectives of their various owners.
According to the statement, the players’ union expresses its gratitude that the welfare and health of the players and officials have been placed on the front burners by the LMC and the club owners.
The union was also quick to make its appeal to be included in whatever palliative packages planned for the clubs and players, in view of its all important roles in Nigerian football, particularly, as the voice and eyes of the players.
It was also agreed that whenever the league would resume, all the players, coaches and backroom staff are to be tested for COVID 19, among other strategies to be adopted to guarantee the well being and health of everyone involved with the NPFL.
