2 hours ago
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PORT HARCOURT – The Okirika United Football Club, champions of the Simplified Football tournament which participants from the 23 Local Government Area of Rivers State and ended on November 15, 2024 had lamented the delayed payment of their N7million prize.
The Assistant Coach of Okrika United Football Club, Charles Melford who spoke on behalf of the club said the Football Association under the Rivers Ministry of Sports only took photographs of them displaying the the dummy cheque, but failed to redeem the cash two weeks after.
Melford told journalists on Wednesday that the champions had been left in the dark regarding when and how they will receive their won prize, as no one had reached them to explain what is hampering their payment.
He explained that the angry players had since been accusing the coaches and other management staff receiving prize money behind the heir backs.
Melford said: “Okirika LGA came out victorious against our brothers,friends,our family the Eleme LGA. We won them by 3-1. After the finals,it was so surprising that the acting state Chairman of FA presented a cheque of N7 million to us, N5 million to Eleme who were the runners up and then N3 million to Andoni LGA that came third.
“Till now, we have not seen anything, they only use us to snap a picture, that they will be giving us money and all that. It’s over two weeks now. We played the finals on the 15th of November, 2024.Till today we have not seen anything. No calls from anywhere, we are trying to know what is happening through the FA, nothing is happening, no information at all.
“And players are on our neck believing that we have collected the money from the Government and that we don’t want to be open to them and we are being accused. And then they can also attack us.
“We also have fans who also came in their mass to support us, they are also expecting something. Even we as coaches at some point in time, it was personal efforts and some persons from the LGA came up and assisted us”.
He however called of the Rivers State Governor to prevail on those responsible to do the needful, stating that such a development if left unattended to could tarnish the good intentions of the governor.
“And then you know players could also go deviant. When athletes after performance there is no reward for their hard work, most of these players have been in the camp for over three months and some of them are not from our LGA.
“It is a football tournament, it gives room for talents across the country to come and participate. We are begging the Governor to come to the aid of the Rivers youths who have demonstrated sportsmanship through his Governance to call the FA and Ministry of Sports to redeem this trophy of Seven, Five and Three million naira respectively by those who worked so hard to win it.”
Responding, the state Football Association Secretary, Omiete Tamuno, clarified that the prize money had not been paid because it hadn’t been transmitted to the state Football Association for onward payment to the champions.
“The prize money has not been given to them. I cannot speak on the reason behind the delay, what I can say is that as FA, the money has not been released to us.”
He however promised to refer our correspondent to the FA Board Chairman, for further clarification, but had yet to do so when this report was filed.
Efforts to reach the state Commissioner of Sports, Christopher Green, proved abortive as his Media Officer, Mr. Sammy Wejinya, declined response, referring our correspondent to Ibigoni Benjamin Akobo, who could not be reached prior to the filing of this report.
