The leadership of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) is scheduled to hold talks with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) on the welfare of referees covering the top-flight division in the country.
President of the referees’ association, Ahmed Maude, told SuperSport.com that the meeting with the two football bodies on September 22 to fashion out plans for the interests of referees ahead of the 2010/2011 season of the Premier League.
Maude also said the discussion of the meeting will be centred on outstanding indemnities and allowances owed the referees as well as security at league centres across the country.
“We will meet with the NFF and the NPL concerning the league referees,” said Maude. “We are an important arm of the game in the country and we need to be treated as such. Our talk with them will be on the welfare of the referees. We will also discuss about outstanding money owed the referees from last season and even two seasons ago.
“He further disclosed that referees, who were assaulted in the past two seasons in the top-flight of Nigeria’s league, are yet to get their compensation from fines levied on erring clubs by the Premier League. The assaulted referees, Maude claimed, are owed the sum of N6.4 million.
“In the past one or two seasons, money collected from assault and battery of referees have not been paid. The total amount owed referees from that is about N6.4 million. But we are ready to wait for that money because we understand the constraint that the NPL faced last season in running the league from the financial aspect.
“Hopefully if they get a sponsor for the league in the coming season, they will pay up all the debt owed the referees and also put in place better package for our men,” he said.
The referees’ chief, however, rejected reports that the arbiters were planning on boycotting league games for the new season over unpaid compensation and lack of security at venues. “No it is untrue,” he simply said.
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