Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro and his three assistants are yet to be issued work permits in line with stipulated guidelines and regulations, NationSport can exclusively report.
The Portuguese coach is being assisted on the Super Eagles job by the trio of Maykel Moreira (fitness coach), Acacio Santos (assistant coach), and Vitor Hugo (analyst).
NationSport gathered yesterday that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are still in the process of seeking application for the mandatory Combined Expatriate Resident Permit Alliance (CERPA) card otherwise known as Green Card, for the Portuguese and his assistants.
Sources at the Federal Ministry of Interior said it was compulsory that expatriates that move to Nigeria solely for work purposes must obtain the CERPA card lest Peseiro and his foreign assistants would be working illegally.
“The NFF will as a matter of fact apply for the CERPA card in the coming weeks and I think the process of getting work permits for coach Peseiro is already on-going but the coach is expected to do something in Portugal first before they commence the process here, ”a top NFF official told NationSport.
Further checks at the Federal Ministry of Interior explained that an applicant for the Nigerian CERPA card is expected to pay as much as $2,000 but Peseiro might be exempted since he is directly employed by the NFF to fill its expatriate quota.
“Usually, an expatriate through the employer, is requested to apply for the CERPA card from the Comptroller General of Immigration but this takes time as such expatriates are issued with a Temporary Work Permit Visa (TWP) as such Peseiro and his assistants have valid papers to work in Nigeria pending when they are issued the CERPA card ” a decent source at the Federal Ministry of Interior further explained. “From what I know, each applicant will pay nothing less than $2,000 for the Green Card but Peseiro is most likely going to get his own gratis (free) as he was directly employed by the NFF.”