Supersport.com can report that players of El-Kanemi Warriors decided to stay away from their NPFL clash at FC Ifeanyiubah on Sunday.
Chairman of the club, Zanna Mohammed, confirmed that the players refused to travel for the game in protest over unpaid wages.
“It is true that we did not make the trip (for the game against FC Ifeanyiubah),” began a disappointed Mohammed. “The players are insisting that they will not make the trip unless they are paid despite our pleas to them.”
Players of the club refused to talk to supersport.com unless they are guaranteed to be quoted anonymously.
One of the players, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, claimed that they are owed eight months salaries, seven match bonuses as well as 145 per cent signing-on fees including 45 per cent from last season.
Mohammed, however, shed more light on the unpaid wages: “What has happened is that we have paid them the old salary scale and not the enhanced salaries this season. For instance a player who is supposed to earn N200,000 has been getting N60,000 and we have made their outstanding money in calculation available to the (Borno) State government which has promised to offset every debt soon, in fact before the deadline (given by the League Management Company).”
The Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) for the current season states that: “The minimum monthly wage for any player shall not be less than N150,000 or as the (club) board may decide from time to time.”
Mohammed agrees that the club have flouted that which has led to the LMC slamming El-Kanemi with a suspended suspension of six points deduction should they fail to pay their players on or before October 27 following a 60-day notice issued to the Maiduguri outfit.
El-Kanemi failed to show up for the pre-match meeting against FC Ifeanyiubah and now risk being walked over thereby losing three points and three goals. They could as well face a hefty fine of N10 million for failing to honour their match.
The club chairman said they have reported the players to the LMC for refusing to honour the game despite a summary jurisdiction the league body directed the club to pay the players by October 27 or face a six-point deduction.
Mohammed claimed that the players did not serve them any form of notice of going on strike which has seen them stay away from training sessions as well.
“They did not give us any notice despite what has happened,” said Mohammed to supersport.com.
The NPFL rules states in that light that “any official or player of a club who intends to declare a trade dispute with a club over unfulfilled contract agreement or conditions of service shall in the first instance give 45 days notice to the club management stating grounds of dispute.”
El-Kanemi currently sit in 13th position with 43 points in the NPFL standings as the season enters its run-in.
