Alas, the gross injustice situation that has engulfed the camp of Heartland FC of Owerri continues to take different form of inhumane nature.
“We are suffering and dying. We have not collected one naira since the beginning of the year. Some of us have even lost loved ones due to the heartlessness and wickedness of the management, a source told owosports.com.ng
The Imo State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Commissioner for Sports were some of the dignitaries who appealed to the team to honour the away match against Kano Pillars last weekend with some level of assurance that things will change for good.
“We had to pass a night in Enugu on Friday because we left Owerri at 4pm and reached Enugu three hours later.”
Moving on Saturday morning to Kaduna a day before the match, the source confirmed that the bus conveying the players and officials broke down on the road at 4pm and would later got to Kaduna 10pm in the night.
The unusual nature of the journey was deemed to be one of the reason for the 2-1 defeat to Kano Pillars.
According to the source, appeals and assurance before Pillars’ game was short-lived as only ‘seven players’ among several others received their alert after the game, a move which he said was aimed to ‘deceive’ others.
Describing the situation as appalling, act of wickedness and heartlessness, the source added that the players and officials of the team have now passed a vote of no confidence on the hierarchy of club until their demands are met.
“Imagine some of us are still been owed five months salaries arrears. The players have refused to train since we came back from Kaduna on Monday.”
Our source also fumed at situation they found themselves within the club, because they aren’t sure of who’s running or in charge of the club between the Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly and General Manager of the club, as this current situation is affecting the club performance on and off the field.
The source made us realised that most of their challenges is not known to the Executive Governor of the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
“It was just this Friday that our money was just approved by the Governor and we were told it has been approved and released for some weeks now. The situation is not palatable and we will like to meet the Governor.
Some NPFL teams have been accused of failure to fulfil among other things salaries and contract obligations, such was the recent protest of Sunshine Stars FC players in Akure few days ago.
It is however important that the management of Heartland do the needful to avert irreparable damage the present situation might cost all it’s employee.
