The chief executive officer of Monimichelle Sports Facility Construction Limited, Ebi Egbe has opened up at length in a very heated reaction to widespread allegations that he often abandons pitch projects assigned to him.
While dispelling such reports as the handiwork of competitors in the pitch installation and stadium construction business, Egbe added in an exclusive interview with Sports247 that the owners of such projects are mostly to blame for any abandoned structure.
READ ALSO: Tjosh Sets World Record In Hairdressing Marathon, Earns NSC Applause
He explained further that such situations usually occur when a client fails to pay up the balance of all costs after giving an initial mobilization fee.
The smooth-talking pitch expert added, “Because I’m on top in the industry, I always go through blackmail, but there’s always a story behind everything.
“If you don’t pay me, am I going to cut my wrist to do your pitch? No! I can’t. You must pay. Our jobs are money-based. Sometimes they call me and give me 30% mobilization, but when you ask for your next payment, it becomes a problem.”
He enjoined anyone who hears people accusing him of abandoning their project to kindly approach him for details, adding that the expensive nature of pitch installations makes it a venture that should not be toyed with in terms of prompt payments.
Egbe expatiated in a recent interview, “Sometimes, when they say Monimichelle abandons a stadium, try and talk to Monimichelle. Hear my own side of the story. You’ll find out what caused the abandonment.
“If you pay, there’s no way we’re not going to do your job for you. To construct a pitch is not two naira. It’s expensive, very expensive.”
He also disclosed other complexities that arise when clients expand their desires beyond what was agreed at the onset of a contract, but still fail to meet the terms of payments for additional demands as the project moves along.
“Sometimes, when we start a project and we are told to construct Pitch E,” Egbe continued, “They come to the site and say, ‘We need to do A, B, C, D for the stadium to look up to standard.’ But they’ve not paid for A, B, C, D.
“When I then do A, B, C, D and come back for my payment, they go to the papers to say that Monimichelle has abandoned the project.”
The astute businessman, who started out long ago as a players’ agent, also gave reasons why he insists on getting full payment on projects that he is involved with, tops of which is the need to run his company on a daily basis.
He explained, “We have a lot of staff. I have over 200 staff members under the management of Monimichelle. Football is my business, and those who can pay know that Monimichelle will give you a very good facility.
“I’m not always at fault. They just look for ways to defame my company’s name. But, honestly speaking, I don’t do anything wrong when I work. I’m very sentimental when I’m doing a project, and I’m very passionate about it.”
He concluded with a hint that he might have to resort to court action to put an end to the allegations being hurled at him about pitch abandonment, especially as he believes some football administrators are trying to run him down because they operate companies that are also into the installation of sports facilities.
Egbe rounded off by stressing, “If you don’t pay me and you go and accuse me of abandoning your job, when it goes to court, the judge will see that you did not pay this guy. That’s defamation.
“All the same, we’re still the best company in Nigeria to do pitches. No company can come close to us. Even some of the football officials are my competitors, because they own companies that do the same things we do, but we’re not scared of them. We like healthy competition.”
