By; MAGAJI HUNKUYI, Jalingo.
Players of Taraba Football Club and Taraba Queens on Monday blocked the main entrance into the Taraba Government House Jalingo in protest for the nonpayment of 21 months salaries.
Mr. Uzih Michael, the Assistant Captain of the team told newsmen at the gate in Jalingo that the government had ignored them for so long that they had no choice than to occupy the gate to draw the attention of the Government.
“We are sad over what the Taraba government is doing to us. We have not been paid for 21 months now,” the captain lamented
He said they did a similar protest last Month and the Government promised to pay them but upto now they did not receive a single kobo.
The captain explained that the team was in the Nigerian Premier League in 2014 but dropped to Pro-League due to hunger as a result of nonpayment of salaries.
A player Kabiru Ahmed, told newsmen that they would not leave the government house gate until government paid them their entitlements. Ahmed said it was sad to note that the state government could not pay them for 21 months but would release money for a peace concert.
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Mr Sylvanus Giwa said Gov Darius Ishaku has pledged to pay the players three months before Christmas.
Giwa appealed to the players to leave the gate, saying government would do everything possible to pay them what was due to them.
