The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has expressed satisfaction with the performances of the members of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, so far this season.
This was made known by the Board Member and Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Rabiu Inuwa Alhan, during the commencement of the Special Training Program organized for the Federation for Premier League referees in the country.
Speaking at the event, Ahlan who represented the NFF President at the opening session said that after a critical review of the level of officiating, the Federation is elated even as he added that room for more perfection is needed.
According to the Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, but for little challenges in the system, it has been a good job on the part of the match officials.
On non-payment of indemnities in the NPFL, the FA Board Member told the referees that the federation is worried about the development and is working with the organizer of the domestic league to ensure the payments are affected.
While noting that modalities are underway to cater for the payment, Alhaji Rabiu Inuwa Alhan appreciated the referees for always standing in for the good of the game.
In his own speech, President of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, Otunba Tade Azeez said that the training program is an innovative package of the NFF to raise the knowledge of the Laws of the Game of the participants.
Otunba Tade Azeez disclosed that the current training exercise is an exceptional one never witnessed in the history of the association where the Federation is wholly catering for the program for the entire premier league referees.
He further said that the program will afford a review of certain incidents noticed in the ongoing NPFL league with a view to educating the referees more on the laws of the game.
The NRA President added that with the new amendments to the Laws of The Game for 2021 which took off July 1st this year, the program will also acquaint the participants with knowledge, understanding, interpretation, and application of the new laws.
The event which commenced today with medical and Physical Fitness Tests at the Goal Project field, Abuja will last for ten days with premier league referees divided into two groups for participation.
The team leader of the Technical Instructors, FIFA and CAF trained, who is also a member of the NFF Referees Committee, Callistus Chukwudi Chukwujekwu has other internationally trained instructors; Peter Edibe, Felicia Okwugba Dr. Ago Abdulahi, ( retired FIFA referees), Ameenu Adebayo and Barr Cecilia Ugbuji to tutor the referees.
Also, the Physical Fitness Instructors’ team led by Retired FIFA Emmanuel Imiere, parades other CAF and FIFA trained Instructors; Ibrahim Zakowi, Stella Eloji, Bola Sekiri, Ibrahim Umar, and others like Victor Ijeremen, Alkali Philip, Ik Okpechi, A. Gambo on the ground to work on their fitness capacity.
Available to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise is the Head of NFF Refereeing Unit, Hon Sani Zubairu (FIFA rtd)
