President of the Nigeria Football Federation and President of the subregional WAFU-B, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, on Sunday spurred great excitement among football leaders and faithfuls in the region with a pledge that the NFF will acquire a truck for the transportation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) equipment – presently domiciled in the zone’s headquarters in Abidjan – round the nations of the zone.
“It is imperative to address a critical issue concerning our referees in WAFU-B. One major challenge confronting our referees is the lack of adequate VAR training. In collaboration with the NFF, we will endeavour to acquire a truck to facilitate the transportation of this equipment to member-countries of WAFU-B, to train their referees in VAR operations.
“This will benefit both male and female referees by providing comprehensive VAR training, thereby elevating the standard of officiating in our region,” Gusau said at the opening ceremony of a three-day CAF Women’s Football Administrators workshop in Abuja.
Gusau also challenged the participants – heads of women’s football in the seven countries of the WAFU-B – to commit to hard work at developing the game from the grassroots. “We must put in place drastic measures to harness the talent of young women players from the grassroots because that’s the only way there can be graduation from the youth to the senior level.
“I trust that all participants will concentrate to have a productive, enriching and inspiring workshop, in order that we can build stronger structures, create more opportunities and give the women’s game in West Africa the place it truly deserves.”
He said the participants were carefully picked because “you are the people who develop pathways for girls and women, and turn strategic visions into daily reality.”
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi MON, charged participants to pay rapt attention to each of the presentations and go back to their different countries with ideas and nuggets to transform the women’s game.
Executive Director of WAFU-B, Mr. Philippe Tchere, praised Gusau for his offer and envisioned that the future of refereeing in West Africa is assured. “The offer of a truck to transport the VAR equipment to member-countries is the biggest news of the week for me. God bless President Gusau. God bless Nigeria.”
Nigeria legend Precious Dede (WAFU-B’s Football Development Manager), as well as Jules McGeever (from England) and Thuba Sibanda (from Zimbabwe), who are both CAF instructors, are the facilitators for the three-day conference.
At the event as well were CAF’s Head of Women Football, Goshime Meskerem; President of WAFU-B Women’s Football Commission, Amina Amani; NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire and; NFF’s Director of Competitions, Ms Ruth David.
