President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON) on Wednesday pledged the total support of the football-ruling body to any measures taken by the new executive team of the Nigeria Referees Association to sanitize the refereeing vocation in the country.
Speaking while the new team paid him a condolence visit at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on the recent demise of the Head of NFF Refereeing Unit and NRA President, Hon. Sani Zubair, Gusau reiterated that the executives must be ready to take a tough and determined stance on issues such as age limit, computer literacy, and academic qualifications.
“I am one of those who believe that no serious recruitment drive for referees should accept people who are above a certain age. Perhaps, we should even look at recruiting persons from the level of junior secondary schools. We will be wasting our time and the time of the system by recruiting persons above the age of 14. When will the referee rise to Grade 1, and then onwards to FIFA level?
“There is also the imperative for computer literacy. These days, referees must file reports extending to many pages. How will any computer illiterate be able to cope? The NFF is ready to provide support, but this is something that the executive council must take to the Congress of referees and pass as a resolution.”
Gusau, who is also President of WAFU B, promised that the NFF is determined to train at least 10 Nigerian referees on the use of the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology before the end of this year. He commiserated with the visiting team and recalled that the late Hon. Zubair served the vocation of refereeing and the Nigeria football system meritoriously and with a high level of integrity and dignity.
Earlier, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi (MON), challenged the new executive team to be ready to take stern measures to deal with the incidence of poor officiating that recurs now and then in the Nigeria league: “I believe we have referees who can hold their own at the highest level, even perform at the FIFA World Cup, but they are easily influenced to the detriment of their own careers.”
NRA’s Ag. President, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi, assured that the executive council will make more concerted efforts to sanitize the refereeing vocation in the country, and pledged that recalcitrance and all forms of unethical conduct will be met with stiff sanctions going forward.
At the occasion as well were former NRA President, Alhaji Ahmed Maude; NRA vice presidents Eng. Emmanuel Imiere and Alhaji Aminu Umar Fagge; Alhaji Aminu Mammaga, Chairman of Chairmen; Deputy Secretary General, Col. N. C. Achikasim; FCT referees council officials Abraham Zakowi and Victor Ijeremen and; zonal coordinators Nasiru Ibrahim and Tasiu Adamu.
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