Edo govt denies owing late Super Eagles coach N25m salary

The Edo state government has denied owing the late ex-coach of the Super Eagles, Shuaibu Amodu N25m.

Reports say the late coach had written a letter to the Edo state government, requesting for the payment of his salary, and that of those working with the Edo State Football Development Programme.

The state government has however stated that the content of the letter purportedly written by the late coach is false.

A statement issued by Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s Chief Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria said “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, June 8, 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, totalling N8 million only.

“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, Adams Oshiomhole, however, approved his claim for N8 million, purely on compassionate grounds.

“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.”‎

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federal (NFF) confirmed that the late technical director of the Super Eagles was owed two months salary before his death.

The Late Shuaibu Amodu died on June 10, 2016, at the age of 58 in Benin city.