Ex-NRA Scribe Tasks NPL On Referees’ Remuneration

The immediate past Secretary of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Sunday Audu, has urged the Nigeria Premier League (NPL)   to improve on referees remuneration for better performance.

Audu told newsmen  in Lagos that such a step would reduce the incidence of match fixing allegations being made against referees in the league.

He admonished that, for the absence of issues bordering on bribe and match fixing allegations, referees should be paid their indemnities as and when due.

“If they pay the referees well, their eyes will not turn to  the bribe they are being offered.

“Their remuneration is still very poor, imagine a referee being paid N15, 000 to officiate a match in Jigawa and he is based in Kastina, it’s unheard of,’’ the former secretary said.

Speaking on the quality of football played so far in the first stanza of the 2011/2012 NPL season, Audu applauded the standard being exhibited by clubs, through away victories, which he said implied fairness.

“The norm is that if clubs perform well, good officiating should complement their efforts, but if the club performed well and officiating was poor, it will not speak well of the league.

“The two have to work together, if one is lacking, the other one won’t achieve its aim,’’ Audu said.

Audu also commended the effort of the NPL in the provision of adequate security for referees at match venues.

“As it is now, the security of referees is commendable, but it can be improved upon,’’ the former secretary of the NRA said.

He, however, complained about the high handed manner with which the Dispute and Disciplinary Resolution Committee was going about its assignment.

He said, “that the committee usually makes pronouncement without following due process.

“I don’t agree with the decisions they take at times, I don’t agree with them, they go beyond their bounds, whenever they take their decisions.

“My anger again is that they make pronouncements without consulting others involved in the process of arriving at the decision they took to resolve the issue at stake.

“They should follow procedures, the way and manner disciplinary issues are handled are  not healthy for the league’’.

On his assessment of the NPL in comparison to what obtained in Europe, South America and South Africa, Audu said  that there was no basis for comparison.

“Even though the league is faring well, we cannot compare it to the European and South American football leagues.

“We can’t compare our league with developed countries, but in Africa, Nigeria is number one, followed by maybe South Africa,’’ he said.