Benin – Coaches under the employment of the Edo State Sports Council in Benin on Monday commenced an indefinite strike over the conditions placed on their promotion by the state Ministry of Sports.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry had issued a circular stipulating that only coaches with certification would henceforth be eligible for promotion.
But the coaches kicked against this, saying that their promotion should be based on performance and not on mere certification.
The state Head of Coaches, Benard Joman, said in Benin that the action would not only discourage performance among the coaches, but also undermine the efforts of the state government at developing sports in the state.
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Joman also said that there was no consultation whatsoever with the coaches, prior to the implementation of the policy, adding that they only sensed it when promotion was being released in batches.
“These people are the game players and what the circular is trying to do is to undermine them and if you make them feel they no longer have a future in the state, they may as well go to other states where they will be appreciated.
“We have nothing against education, which ordinarily should be an added advantage to us.
“But we are against the fact that consideration for promotion should be based on possession of the advanced certificate.
“Our position is that promotion should be based on productivity and not the advanced certificate, like they are saying,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman of the State Sports Council, Harrison Omogabon, also criticised the circular.
He said the present action could have been avoided if the ministry had listened to him.
Omagabon said that the reason for the existence of the council and the ministry, in the first instance, was because of coaches and the athletes.
“When I noticed the sharp disagreement between the secretaries and the coaches, I had to summon a meeting with the Permanent Secretary and other stakeholders, where we had a resolution that the idea of regular and non-regular staff should be jettisoned.
“We also said that there should not be a dichotomy between coaches, athletes and other staff of the ministry, which threw up the issue of promotion based on qualifications and not performance.
“This resolution was sent to the Central Administration of the state civil service, but was returned based on the fact that there was no input from the Commissioner for Sports.
“My take is that the Ministry of Sports is undermining the sports council and this is what is causing this problem,” he said.
However, Sports Commissioner, Presley Ediagbonya, said the issues being raised by the sports council and the coaches were not tenable.
He said this was because he had no previous knowledge of their meeting before the resolutions were sent to the Central Administration.
Ediagbonya also explained how he has had to object to the idea that promotion should be based solely on certification.
“I have on my own argued that productivity should not be entirely jettisoned.
“This is why I had to personally intervene in the promotion of Maria Osifo and Obanor, both of whom have won laurels, not only for the state but also for the country.
“In any case, the matter will be resolved because the governor will be meeting with the coaches and sports council officials later today (Monday).”
The state Director of Sport, Sunny Airende, however, said that his authority was being undermined on the issue.
“We are not against productivity, but any coach who has excelled will be promoted.
“What we are saying is that in their own good, it will be wise for them to have certification because sports is now scientific,’’ he added. (NAN)