Rivers State sports commissioner, Fred Mbombo
Igwe, has denied that Nigeria Professional Football
League (NPFL) clubs, Sharks and Dolphins embarked
on a strike to press home demands for the non- payment of their signing-on fees for the 2011/12 season.
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Players of the two clubs, funded by the Rivers State Government failed to train for a couple of days about two weeks ago and a proposed friendly match between the two sides was subsequently cancelled. Igwe has now revealed that the players never went on strike.
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"I am not aware anyone went on strike from Sharks or Dolphins. Sharks put up a superlative display in their first NPFL game of the season and they certainly did not look like a side that went on strike," Igwe said.
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The sports commissioner then confirmed that players of both clubs have yet to be paid their signing-on fees from the previous season but assured that the players would get their monies soon.
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"I am aware there have been a few rumblings about the monies but we are working on it. We have already gotten the approval for the signing-on fees and we will soon get the release from the finance ministry," he revealed.
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Sharks beat Warri Wolves 2-1 on Matchday 1 of the NPFL while Dolphins went down 0-1 to Akwa United.
Well now that he has cleared the air, it is accepted. Strike is not what we need now