May 26, (THEWILL) – Participants have commended the organisers of Season 6 of the Bayelsa State Governor’s Football Tournament (Prosperity Cup 2024) for putting together a one-day refresher course for the national referees’ council, Bayelsa chapter, and implored other states to emulate it, saying the importance of training and retraining for any professional body cannot be overemphasised.
Director General of the competition, Mr. Ono K. Akpe, said the refresher course, which was in partnership with the Bayelsa State Football Association, was aimed at enhancing the officiating skills of the referees and equipping them with updated information about the game in line with global best practices.
Speaking to Journalists in their various interviews after the training, a resource person, Mr. Chukwudi Chukwujekwu (FIFA RTD) and Deputy President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Mr. Kelechi Mejuobi, posited that the initiative of a refresher course for referees was not only worthy of emulation by other states but timely in view of the ongoing Prosperity Cup, a grassroots tournament targeted at hunting professional youth footballers. The duo described the collaboration as fantastic and promised that the young referees would be invited to Abuja soon.
Also speaking, Mrs. Felicia Okugbawa Okonji (FIFA RTD ) reiterated the essence of a refresher course for referees, saying the training would go a long way in improving match officiating in line with global best practices.
On his part, the Tournament Director, Perela Aboro, averred that the training would enhance the participants’ confidence in modern techniques of officiating matches.
The Chairman, Nigeria Referees Association, Bayelsa State chapter, Ebi Nwankwe, applauded the organisers of the training, saying that with rich content from distinguished resource persons, the members have been massively impacted.
He said the training would bring about improvement in their officiating henceforth and solicited more programmes for the improvement of skills and performance of the members.
“We look forward to more of such collaborations in future and to our members, to whom much is given, much is expected,” he said.
The one-day event had the Director General of Season 6 of the Prosperity Cup, Mr Ono Kelvin Akpe, as its chief host and Chief Patimidi Tukuru, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Projects, as a special guest.
About the Author
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
