…as court stops Bayelsa United from NPFL
By Akeem Busari
The media was awash over the weekend with the news that a court has given an order, stopping Bayelsa United from further participation in the 2022/2023 NPFL season over a pending unpaid debt of N15m owed to Nembe City football club.
Chairman of PFAN Task Force, Harrison Jalla, in a reaction to the development, commended the court order, which he remarked aligns with the ideas of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), which is to protect players and engender a better football ecosystem.
“I support the new vision of the Interim management committee (IMC) of the NPFL to arrest what used to be business as usual as professional clubs in the country are always indebted to players, coaches and clubs in inter club transfers of players.”
“Today, the Tijani Babangida led PFAN has set up a welfare task force under the leadership of Dr. Mohammed Ogidi, with a clear mandate amongst others to recover all outstanding salaries, allowances and all debts to players, coaches and inter club transfers. Their mandate is also inclusive of players and coaches in all the tiers of the national teams, including the female national teams,” he noted.
“Bayelsa United and indeed, all clubs must desist from the past and adjust to the new order ushered in by the Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye led IMC, by paying all their outstanding debts which is a key factor to clubs licensing obligation. Bayelsa United FC is a property of Bayelsa state government a rich oil state of only 8 local government areas.
“As a front line oil producing state with enormous resources, Bayelsa United FC should be a model of the best funded club in the NPFL. It is therefore absurd and unacceptable to see Bayelsa United in the league of clubs indebted to players, coaches and clubs.
“The rules are clear and unambigous. And the IMC must impose appropriate sanctions on clubs for non compliance to avoid bringing the NPFL to disrepute and public ridicule,” he stated.
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