By Albert Akota
The Chairman House Committee on Sports, Hon. Godfrey Ali Gaiya has said that the League Management Company (LMC) has not power to fixed price tag for clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Gaiya who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, said that it would be unfair for LMC to fixed 150,000 thousand Naira for clubs to pay per player monthly.
“Personal, it unfair to fix price tag for league clubs because not all the clubs are owned by government, some are owned by private sectors that we are clamouring for, and we need private sectors to come into our sporting sectors.
“Some clubs are financially buoyancy to pay any amount, why some take good care of it players, if a government owned has the financial muscle to bring Lione Messi to Nigeria such club should be support by LMC not to discourage it with price tag of 150, 000, “ he advised.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the LMC, Nduka Irabor, has insisted that there is no going back on the 150,000 Naira minimum wage for players in the league players for 2013/14 season.
Newly-promoted to NPFL Giwa FC of Jos had earlier declared that they cannot pay the minimum wage of 150,000 Naira a month per player as ordered by the Irabor-led League management.
“It is mandatory, a six points, six goals punishment awaits clubs that fails to meet these conditions. The clubs are supposed to earn some revenue, we might decide to withhold the revenue and impose further levies on clubs that are unable to do it.
“If you are unable to pay your players, why should I pay you your fifteen million Naira income when you’re already saying to me that you’re not going to be able to pay your players, so we might just withhold revenue coming to some of the clubs,” said the league chairman.
