November 11, 2022
The Chairman, Media Committee of the 21st National Sports Festival and State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu has refuted false reports that the Stephen Keshi stadium in Asaba collapsed, killing at least 3 people and injuring scores of others.
Charles Aniagwu who did a Live Video from the scene, explained that a part of the bulding collapsed as a crane carrying heavy equipment hit a part of the wall, on one of the floors. The rubble has since been cleared and work returned to the site.
See Video :
The Pride of Rivers, Rivers United will be Nigeria’s sole representative on the continent of Africa this season, after securing a 1-all draw against Libyan opponents Al-Nasr in the CAF Confederations cup playoffs. The reverse was the case however as Plateau United, could not hold on to their 1st Leg win over Al-Khader, conceding 3 unreplied goals to submit their 4-1 advantage, thereby dropping out of the continent.
Plateau United gaffer, Fidelis Ilechukwu had bemoaned the goal conceeded in Abuja in the home leg, complaining about the quality of play of the Peace boys ahead of the return leg in Libya. Although fraught with all the shenanigans that North African sides are known for, Plateau United seemed to have held on after a goalless first half.
Al Khader broke the deadlock in the 58 minute and continued to pile on the pressure for more goals, before adding a 2nd late into the fixture, the 3rd and decisive goal that meant Plateau dropped out was scored in the final minute of regulation time, which mean’t Al Khader of Libya progressed on away goal rule.
Stanley Eguma and his lads on the other hand already had their job cut out for them having secured a 5-nil victory in Port Harcourt, they knew what needed to be done and kept the focus despite all the drama that heralded their arrival in Benghazi. They conceded in the first half but came back strong in the second half to secure a draw, as Nyima Nwagua restored parity for the port harcourt side. 1-1 it ended and a spot in the group stages guaranteed for the Nigerian side.
Nigeria’s coefficient continues to drop on the continent of Africa however, as NPFL clubsides continually fail to make the mark in CAF competitions.
October 12, 2022
The Nigerian U17 side, Flamingos fell 2-1 to their German counterparts in their Opening fixture at the 2022 U17 world Cup in India.
Miracle Useni put Bankole Olowokeere’s girls ahead with a stunning freekick at the half hour mark, before a Svea Stold equalizer put both teams at par. Mara Alder put the nail on the coffin as the Germans secured all 3points against their African Counterparts.
The captain of the Nigeria’s U17 Women’s team, Alvine Dah Zossu said she was disappointed on their 1-2 loss to Germany recorded in the opening group match but vowed that the girls were resolved to return gun-blazing against their next opponents; New Zealand on Friday.
The Kiwis also lost their opening game to Chile 3-1 .
October 12, 2022
Employees of the now defunct League Management Company (LMC) have sent a cry for help to the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare regarding their backlog of unpaid salaries.
In a letter dated 11th October 2022 and addressed to the Minister, titled:
COMPLAINT ABOUT UNPAID SALARIES, BENEFITS AND REDUNDANCY OF SOME MEMBERS OF STAFF.
According to them, we write to commend the Honourable Minister of Sports Mr Sunday Dare on the recent positive development and happenings around sports in general and specifically football administration that recently led to the composition of an interim management committee to run the affairs of the Nigeria professional football league (NPFL) which originally is known as Nigeria Football League (NFL) trading as Nigeria Premier League (NPL).
This indeed is a step in the right direction.
Having said this, however, we the undersigned original confirmed members of staff of The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) that were rendered redundant and whose salaries and benefits were withheld for no reason whatsoever, by the officials of the League Management Company led by Mr Shehu Dikko and Mr Salisu Abubakar have the following complaints and demands;
First of all, we are bonafide members of staff of the Nigerian Professional Football League with an employment letter and confirmation letter.
We were all co-opted into the LMC arrangement verbally without any correspondence such as a letter of neither engagement nor a company identity card albeit we were been paid our salaries with our job description and responsibilities usurped by officials of the LMC preparatory to a premeditated redundancy lacuna.
Gradually henceforth, salaries of individual staff were been stopped tactically for no reasons whatsoever without any notice or explanations.
This caused untold hardship, unmitigated health challenges and death for some members of the staff.
As a result of this redundancy and nonpayment of salaries, we lost our accommodation.
Our children and wards were thrown out of their schools for lack of school fees.
Some ran into health challenges and even death because of the suspension of health insurance coverage.
Our pension contribution was suspended.
Our tax remittance was suspended, housing allowances were not paid and our leave allowances were also not paid.
In light of the above, we are appealing passionately to the Honourable Minister of Sports, Mr Sunday Dare as a father and leader to look into our plight with compassion and address this anomaly once and for all in the following areas;
We have been trained and have worked as foundation members of staff of the Nigerian Professional Football League and contributed to growing the league into what it became.
We commit to the fact that we love our profession and our jobs with passion and wish to come back to our duty post.
In terms of the welfare and the well-being of these members of staff of the Nigerian Professional Football League, we appeal to the Honorable minister to empathise with our plights in addressing the under-listed request.
Our outstanding salary arrears and allowances should be paid to us to ameliorate our sufferings.
Restoration of our Health Insurance coverage, remittance of our accumulated pension contribution and remittance of our withheld personal income tax of the under-listed members of staff.
In conclusion, we would like to emphasize that these members of staff of the Nigeria Professional League (NPFL) rendered redundant for just no cause by the management of the dissolved LMC, have gone through a lot of sufferings in the past years. In light of the above, we are looking forward to the Honorable Minister of Sports taking swift and positive action on our request.
Attached to the letter was the breakdown of the salary arrears of the affected members of staff.”
