Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has rewarded managers and players of the state’s football team $20,000 each for winning the Nigerian Professional Football League title.
The Port Harcourt based club confirmed this on its Facebook page on Thursday: “Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike rewards members of Rivers United FC with $20,000 each for winning the @Llll#NPFL22 season.”
Governor Wike hosting the team to a reception at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, commanded the team for dedication and hard work to achieve the victory.
He also announced that the club will hold its Pre-season camp in Madrid for two weeks in preparation for their 2022/23 CAF Champions League campaign.
He noted that the hard work earned them the victory and prevented manipulations that would have prevented them from becoming champions.
“You know in this country, anything happens. If you did not win with wide margin, if you had won with 3 points, they probably would have told you one team has withdrawn, or two teams withdrew, and then, disqualify you. But with the wide gap, it was difficult for them to manipulate,” the governor said.
Governor Nyesom Wike has invested heavily in the club since he took over the helm of affairs towards the end of his tenure in office.
The Port Harcourt based club won the state’s first ever NPFL title with a record 77 points this season after many failed attempts.
The governor also conferred on each member of the team the Governors Merit Service Award (GMSA) and promised the team double of the amount if they make the CAF Champions League group stage.
