Athletes in the employment of Rivers state government have hailed governor Nyesom Wike for promising to pay them their allowances and salaries dating back to the middle of 2014.
Governor Wike had last week promised to pay all outsatnding salaries owed both the state-owned football clubs (Dolphins,Sharks and Rivers Angel) and the athletes who brought unprecedented glory and honour to Rivers state especially at the National Sports Festival.
‘We are really delighted that we have a new governor that loves sports and has agreed to pay us our outstanding allowances and salaries,’wrote the athletes in a press release sent to our correspondent.
‘We are not only happy he (Wike) has promised to pay us the backlog of salaries and allowances,we are specially delighted that the governor has shown himself as one who will love sports and this has given us the extra motivation to continue to put in our best for our dear state,’further read the statement jointly signed by Abayomi Bamgbopa and Taiwo Suleiman.
The athletes have promised governor Wike to reciprocate his gesture by emerging the overall winner of the 19th National Sports Festival whenever and wherever it is held this year.
‘The least we can do to show our appreciation is to return the state to the number one position it held in 2011 when it hosted the 17th edition of the Festival.We are not
ready to play the second fiddle we played at the 18th edition tagged Eko 2012 again.Governor Wike deserves to start his term as our executive governor on a winning note,’further read the statement.
Rivers state won its first ever National Sports Festival overall title by amasing over a 100 gold and placed second behind Delta state a year later in Lagos at the Eko 2012 edition.
