Judex Okoro, Calabar
Pelican Star Football Club members have protested against the non-payment of ten months salary arrears.
The female footballers, who protested Monday at U U Esuene Stadium, Calabar, alleged inhuman treatment by management.
The protesters, numbering over fifty, blocked the entrance to the Cross River State Governor’s office chanting songs like, “we need money for sanitary pads.”
They also carried placards with inscriptions “please our digital governor come to our aid,” “due to hunger, one of our players is hospitalised,” and “we are breadwinners of our families!”
Speaking to reporters, team captain Odo Williams lamented that the state government has been owing them for ten months just as most players beg before they can eat or buy their sanitary pads.
Odo said: “We came to visit our father, which is the governor to tell him that we have not been paid our ten months salary.
“One of our players, Awotunbo Shola, is in general hospital suffering from ulcer and it is because of hunger. We need money. The situation is so bad that we have to go the our management to ask for money for pad.
Addressing the players, the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Cross River State Chapter, Comrade Ben Ukpepi, said: “Your action is right because a labourer deserves his wage. We were not aware until last week when I received a letter from you.
“It is possible that that the governor is not aware of this but I assure you that I will reach out to the governor on your plight to know the reason why this has not been done and I believe that you will be paid soon.”