Officials and players of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure have vowed not to participate in the ongoing Nigerian Professional Football League until the arrears of their salaries and allowances were paid.
The players and officials stated this during a protest march.
The protesters carried placards bearing different inscriptions such as: “Pay Us Our Money”, “We Can’t Play on Empty Stomach”, “No Match on Sunday Until We Are Paid”.
They marched from the Akure Township Stadium to the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka on Friday in Akure.
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, who addressed the protesting officials and the players, promised that they would get part of the payment soon.
Oluboyo, on behalf of the state government, urged them to remain calm and go back to their camp.
He was, however, not definite as to when the payment would be made.
Some players and officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity complained that the Ondo State Football Agency owed them over six months’ salary and allowances.
Reacting, the President and Chairman of the agency, Prince Dapo Ajibade, said the situation was only few of the old players that were been owed three months’ salary.
Ajibade said that all the other players had been paid.
The agency’s boss, who also claimed that the bonuses of players had been settled, said that he could not deny the fact that there were unpaid arrears.
He called on the officials and players to reason with the management which, he said, was battling with paucity of funds.
Oluboyo said: “I am only appealing to the officials and the team to let us reason together for a way forward as all the dues and entitlements owed them will surely be paid.
“There is no reason to quarrel on issues that can be resolved amicably but there is paucity of funds generally in the country.”
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