The Nigeria Football Federation’s Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee has issued new criteria for interested football stakeholders to meet in order to be considered for the role of match commissioners in Nigeria’s domestic game.
Following its inauguration and inaugural meeting in the Federal Capital, Abuja, on Wednesday, Alhaji Babagana Kalli, Chairman of the NFF Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee, announced that no individual over the age of 65 or under the age of 30 would be considered for the role in the future.
“We have also removed the names of all retired referees from the list of match commissioners.”
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“Identification would now be by international passport, national identity card, or driver’s license, and computer literacy is now a key requirement for anyone who wishes to be considered for the role of match commissioner in Nigeria,” Kalli explained.
Earlier, at the inauguration, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, who stood in for the NFF President, charged the committee with developing workable criteria to drastically reduce the number of match commissioners in the country.
He stated that the current figure was bogus and impractical given the number of matches played in a season.
Akinwunmi reiterated that the referee and match commissioner roles are the most important in the overall management of a football game, and that administrators must constantly strive to improve the policies and methods by which the best hands emerge, fully prepared, for both roles.
“We must also choose the very best hands for these important roles, free of any primordial sentiments,” he added.
The Chairman of Nigeria Football’s Chairmen, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and the Chairman of the Referees Committee, Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa, were also present at the inauguration.
Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, another NFF Executive Committee member, serves as vice-chairman of the Match Commissioners Appointment Committee, which also includes Timothy Henman Magaji, Bayo Olanlege, Sunday Longbap, and Yabagi Baba, Aminu Manmaga, Sabo Abdullahi Dutse, Greg Abang Obuh, Kenneth Nwamuocha, Maurice Mbam, and Donald Mbaezue.
