Chime releases N50m backlog sign on fees for players, coaches

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has released N50 million as part payment for the backlog of sign-on fees owed players and coaches of Rangers International Football Club of Enugu.
The General Manager of Rangers, Paul Ozor, made the disclosure in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday.
Ozor, who said the money was released on July 17, was a fraction of the N220 million approved by the governor for disbursement to the players and coaches.
He said: “I was told that more money would be given to the team from the monthly subvention that the state had just received.
“The money will be released in installments until the N220 million is cleared.
“With this type of motivation, the players will wake up and improve on their performances in this current Nigeria Professional Football League season.
“The players have assured me that they will now begin to play like Rangers.”
Ozor said the players and coaches would begin to collect their money from Monday as the Accounts Department of Rangers had worked out the modalities for payment.
Ozor commended the governor for his love for Rangers, saying the money was an indication that he cared for the needs of the players irrespective of where they came from.
He assured Chime that Rangers would not die in his tenure, but instead it would reclaim the glory it was known for in football as the “pride of the eastern region”.
On the contract between its player, Ugonna Uzochukwu, and Shippa United FC of South Africa, Ozor said the management of Rangers was yet to reach a deal with the team.
He expressed regrets that the player signed a two-year contract with the South African Premier Soccer League side without financial deal reached by both clubs.
He said: “There is no doubt that the club has got in contact with our Legal Department, but they have not offered us any money but Uzochukwu called me that he had signed with them.
“For me, that deal will not work if they fail to conclude with us because we are the ones to give him his International Transfer Certificate.”
Ozor explained that Mamelodi Sundowns, another PSL side had since concluded with Rangers on the signing of Super Eagles winger, Ejike Uzoenyi, in spite of moving to the club as a free agent.
Ozor urged Shippa United to ensure that it concluded the financial part of Uzochukwu’s transfer to South Africa or risk losing the deal.