* To earn less than LMC’s Benchmark
Players of Uyo-based Nigerian professional Football League side, Akwa United have been told they may earn less than the one hundred and fifty thousand naira monthly salary benchmark established by the League Management Committee (LMC) with effect from the new season.
A club source hinted over the weekend that the club will not be able to meet the financial conditions of the LMC, but will do same next season. It has also been revealed that the highest paid player of the club will earn a hundred and twenty thousand naira, a situation that has raised huge concerns to the players and fans following the abolishment of sign-on fees by the League Management body.
The source said the club did not include the new salary structure in its budget for the season, maintaining that the club cannot accept what they cannot pay.
It was also gathered that a member of the LMC had last week called some players of the team asking how much they are being paid by the club.
“Akwa United refused to negotiate salaries for their players on time, delayed till the dying minute and force the poor salary structure on the players, leaving them with no option as clubs had already finished registration of players for the new season,” a fan, Bassey Sambo lamented.
Mr. Sambo said it is unacceptable and referred to the situation as sabotage for a club which received the highest fund last season amongst clubs nationwide not to be able to pay the new benchmark salary set up by the LMC. He called on the management to trim the squad to thirty players instead of having close to fifty as the case was in previous seasons.
Efforts to reach the teams’ management to comment on the issue as at press time proved abortive.
Meanwhile, the new Glo Professional Football League season kicks off on March, 7th across the country, with Akwa United welcoming Gombe United at the Uyo township stadium.
When contacted, Media Officer of the Team, Uwem Ekoh says he is not aware.
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