To lessen the increasing difficulty in managing the state-owned football clubs, Pelican Stars and Rovers of Calabar, the Cross River Government on Thursday appealed for their private sponsorship.
The Commissioner for Sports, Mr Offu Aya, who made the appeal in Calabar urged to wealthy Nigerians and private organisations to help by sponsoring the clubs.
Aya, who was reacting to the protest by players of Pelican Stars FC to the Government House on Monday over their 10 months unpaid salaries, admitted that it was becoming “increasingly difficult for the state to fund clubs due to its scarce resources
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain the sponsorship of the two clubs, this is why we continue to appeal to good spirited people, business owners and firms in and out of the state to help support or take over the sponsorship of sports and the two state clubs in particular.
“On the 10 months outstanding salaries and allowances owed the Pelican Stars players since June 2019, the state government will soon defray them; I appeal for understanding,” he said.
It will be recalled that the female footballers on Monday stormed the Government House in Calabar in a protest, lamenting the poor treatment meted out to them.
“Many of our teammates had been hospitalised, we now beg to eat and buy sanitary pads, and we are highly indebted to many creditors,” are some of the inscriptions on their placards.
It is understood that this was not the first time the the club has been in such situation. In 2015, the girls were owed about seven months salaries while in 2016, they were owed for five months. (NAN)
