Edo state government has responded to allegations that late coach AMODU SHAIBU died of financial frustration as a result of the state government withholding his emoluments. In a press release title" AMODU SHAIBU: OUR STORY, Edo state govt claims it paid the coach much more than NFF ever did. Read press release below.
The
attention of Edo State Government has been drawn to a report in the
newspapers and on several online platforms to the effect that the State
Government owed Mr. Amodu Shaibu, the Technical Director of the Nigerian
Football Federation, who died in the night Friday, June 10, to the tune
of N25 million.
Let
us state from the onset that his death is a huge loss to Edo State and
Nigeria. We are certain that no one can fill the void of the shoes left
behind by Coach Shaibu. He was not just a proud Edo son but also a
perfect gentleman, community leader among other callings.
This
is why he was invited to work with our young footballers after he was
unceremoniously relieved of his appointment as Coach having qualified
Nigeria for the World Cup. We remain deeply pained by his very sudden
and untimely death.
The facts:
The
late Amodu Shaibu worked with the State Government, on a fixed-term
contract basis, as Consultant/Technical Adviser of Edo State Football
Development Programme, a Football Academy established by the State
Government to tap the talents of Edo youths and turn them into world
stars.
In
deference to his pedigree, and having informed the Governor of how he
was shabbily treated by the Nigerian Football Federation after the World
Cup qualification he helped secure for the nation, and also admitting
that the new job to manage the State’s Football Academy had lesser
attraction than the National team Coach job he had, Amodu Shaibu was
placed on a monthly salary of N2 million, which is hundred per cent
better than what he was earning as Coach of the National Football team,
and also making him the highest paid official of the Edo State
Government.
The
said fixed-term contract was however not renewed on expiration based on
the dwindling revenues and the necessary cuts in government spending.
It is
basic that a fixed-term contract ends automatically when the agreed end
date is reached and the employer doesn’t have to give any notice. This
means that a fixed-term contract is deemed terminated if not renewed.
In
spite of the fact that the said contract was not renewed, the late Amodu
Shaibu continued to draw his monthly wage of N2 million until it was
stopped by the Office of the Accountant General in June, 2015, following
the discovery after a staff biometric verification exercise.
The
late Amodu Shaibu thereafter tendered his ‘letter of resignation’, in
September 2015, even when the said contract was not renewed and had been
deemed terminated, following its non-renewal.
However,
on Wednesday, 8th June 2016, two days before his unfortunate death, the
late Shaibu submitted a letter to the Secretary to Edo State
Government, dated same day, claiming unpaid salaries for four months,
totaling N8 million only.
In
the said letter entitled: “Resignation of Appointment as
Consultant/Technical Adviser. Re: Request for Payment of Outstanding
Salaries”, Amodu Shaibu stated, inter alia:
“May I
respectfully recall that I resigned my appointment as
Consultant/Technical Adviser of Football Development in Edo State with
effect from 30th September, 2015. The Resignation was as a
result of my appointment as Technical Director of the Nigerian Football
Federation (NFF). The Governor graciously approved this resignation with
effect from 30th September 2015.
“I
humbly wish to inform the Governor that my monthly salary was stopped by
the Accountant-General with effect from June 2015. As a result, I was
not paid for the month of June, July, August and September, 2015. The
reason the Accountant-General gave for withholding my salary for the
period was that he expected the approval of the Governor extending my
contract for the next year. Since I have resigned my appointment, there
is no need now for such approval.
“However,
this letter is predicated on the need for the Accountant-General to pay
my outstanding salaries for the period of June-September 2015. As a
result, therefore, I humbly wish to request the Governor to kindly
consider and approve the payment of my outstanding salaries for the
period indicated above.”
Although
the late Shaibu’s contract had long expired even before his
‘Resignation Letter’ which ‘took effect’ from September 30, 2015, and
even though Edo State Government did not owe him unpaid wages as the
contract was not renewed, the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole,
however, approved his claim for N8 million, purely on compassionate
grounds.
It is
therefore totally false and misleading that the State Government owed
the late Amodu Shaibu the sum of N25 million. We, therefore, make bold
to state that the contents of a letter in circulation, purportedly
written by the late Shaibu Amodu, is patently false. The letter contains
claims that have no bearing with the financial transactions of Edo
State Government. All workers, from lowest to the highest paid,
including Committee Members are enrolled in our Oracle-based payment
system and we do not owe anyone.
While
we still mourn the unfortunate demise of this great Edo son and
Nigerian, whose death has left a deep hole in our hearts and who
contributed immensely to Sports development in Edo State, this
clarification has become necessary to put an end to the misinformation
and outright falsehood being peddled by political hawks who want to
benefit from Amodu Shaibu’s death by portraying the State Government in
bad light.
It is
unfortunate and sad that while Edolites and Nigerians are still
mourning this great icon, mischief makers have gone to town to reap from
his death by crying more than the bereaved.
Even in death, Amodu Shaibu has our respect, commendation and solidarity.
Signed:
Peter Okhiria,
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Edo State Govt Responds to Reports that Owing Amodu Shaibu, Caused his Death
Reviewed by getitrightnigerians
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Story.....
ReplyDeleteMedicine after death
Story story
ReplyDeleteThat's just unfair on the part of Edo government...
ReplyDeleteThat man is dead so please bury the story. Gush...
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