Athletes of Team Rivers definitely are not happy people as of the moment, courtesy of the 8 months salaries owed them by the previous government (Amaechi’s administration), owing to that, they are in unionism embarked on a peaceful protest to Rivers State Government House in order to register their displeasure in the issue.
The Athletes are requesting that the state government pay them their 8 months salaries, since it had paid their counterpart in football.
Though Governor Wike is not the one that owed the athletes, courtesy of his position of the governor of the state, they are saying that he should bear the responsibility as he did with the footballers and the pensioners.
Quiet Unfortunate, the governor is not also having the best of time as the governor have his challenges of being stable in office as there maybe a re-run election owing to the tribunal judgment from Abuja concerning the Rivers State governorship election.
Even as the athletes have a good case to make for themselves, they are embarking their protest at the wrong time.
However, their grievances will be looked into, if the incumbent governor wins re-run election.
For now, the governor has 21 days to appeal against the tribunal judgment and later on follow it up to its concluding end at the Supreme Court.
Till then, the athletes may not have anything tangible for their protest, even as the athletes have a competition to represent the State at 19th National Sports Festival later December at Akwa Ibom.
Time is of essence, the Wike government should as a matter of fact settle the athletes for the fact that they have families to feed, and again, they are still going into representing the state in another national competition, if the state mean well to maintain it position in the state of it position in the forthcoming 19th National Sports Festival.
The Team Rivers Athletes peaceful protest to the Rivers State government House has yielded positive result, Hon. Emeka representing the governor said, the athletes 8months salaries have been approved by the governor and undergoing procession.
The Chief of Staff commended the Athletes for their peaceful disposition in not taking the laws into their hands.
In the same vein, the commissioner of Police, CP Musa Kimo has also commended the Team Rivers Athlete for their peaceful protest, for not taking the laws into their hands. “I can see that you are patriotic Nigerians, who are peaceful.
In return, the Team Rivers Athletes promised the governor gold medal as they settle down to business as soon as their salaries are paid.
Amongst the athlete were disabled athletes of various sports.
With this development, there is positive hope for the athletes to get their 8 months salaries in 2weeks time. ###
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