Liberia: Nimba County Players Desert Camp Over Food Shortage

Players of Nimba County football team on Monday, December 20, deserted camp due to lack of food and bonuses from the three games they played during the group stage.

The team abandoned camp and entered the street of Ganta in protest to draw the attention of the local county authorities, as well as the sports steering committee. The action of the players caught the attention of the Gbowoe Gblinwon, Technical Manager of the team, who later calmed the players down and took them to the Justina Bar & Restaurant to leave the street and wait for the local leaders to respond.

Players were in an angry mood, refusing to listen to anyone due to the alleged ill-treatment from the sporting authority.  

Nimba County defeated Bong County in their final group match on Saturday, December 18, to book their ticket to the quarterfinals of the 2021/22 National County Sports Meet along with Rivercess, who finished as runners-up in Group B. The angry players complained that their three game bonuses were yet to be paid, despite the steering committee’s promise that they will receive their bonuses upon arrival in Ganta.

Jeremiah Nyagean, City Mayor of Saclepea, who was spotted among the aggrieved players, confirmed that the players left the camp, but could not give any details.

“The boys left the camp and we are pursuing them to get them back,” he said.

Technical Manager Gblinwon refused to talk to the media and instructed the players not to speak to the media.

Nimba is still awaiting a ruling from a protest filed by Bong against one of their players, Francisco Pajibo, who they claimed played for the senior national team in the Mano River Union Tournament in Sierra Leone, thus violating Article 15.8 of the NCSM rules and regulations.