…Nobody was sacked-Ekwueme.
Emelam Udo, Umuahia
Some staff Enyimba International Football club have protested to Governor of Abia state Alex Otti over their purported sack by one Ifeanyi Ekwueme said to be the Sporting Director of the Club.
In the protest letter dated 9th July and signed by one Agwu Ogbonnaya, Chief Security Officer of the Club and Maduka Anyaso respectively on behalf others said they were surprised to receive sack letters from one Ndubuisi Ofoma who reportedly acted on behalf of the Sporting Director s and noted that such letters ran contrary to earlier rumoured report which Governor Otti dismissed and asked workers to disregard it and continue with their jobs.
It would be recalled that letter purportedly writtrn by Sporting Director of the Club dated July, 17, 2023 had directed staff of Enyimba to reapply for jobs which was disowned and dismissed by the state Governor who reportedly said that nobody should be sacked and there was no plan to disengage any staff of Enyimba.
“But to our surprise the Sporting Director, Ifeanyi Ekwueme in disobedience to the Governor’s directive, went ahead and sacked 8 (eight) workers in the club and still planning to sack more. The eight staff did not commit any offence nor indicted or quried in the past for any altercation. We have been dedicated and have put man years in service of the club. We are also being owed four months each before the purported sack”said the embattled staff.
They passionately appealed to Governor Otti intervene on their behalf for they know he is not aware of the development and he he did not authorize this unjustifiable sack.
“We also want to bring to your knowledge our Governor staff from other state are being employed by the new management. Some fans of the planned to protest against our sack but we prevailed on them not to embark that as ou are not in support of the sack”they further said.
Contacted through phone, the Ifeanyi Ekwueme, the Sporting director denied sacking any staff of the club. He said the Chief Security Officer, Agwu Ogbonnaya was only asked to step aside because he allegedely breached security when some hoodlums attempted to gain access into Stadium while the players were training.
Ekwueme further said any person claiming to have been sacked should produce his sack letter.
On the four months salaries owed the, he said the new management inherited it from the outgone management.
