The executive committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has poured encomiums on officials of various league bodies in the country for ensuring that their respective competitions commenced before the end of 2020, megasportsarena.com reports.
With the season already dubbed 2020/21, critics and cynical fans were ready to slam Nigeria’s League Management Company (LMC) for failing to get the top-flight championship off the ground before the year ended on Thursday, but they managed to get their matches off the ground last weekend.
With action eventually commencing in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), two weeks after Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) also set things in motion, while the men’s second-tier division was also on course, NFF’s board members were excited to declare a high level of delight during their meeting on Monday.
A communiqué issued after the meeting, which the NFF’s communications department revealed had been called ‘to deliberate on important issues in Nigerian Football,’ noted how each of the league body’s were able to get action back in motion despite the continued worries over COVID-19 at home and abroad.
The communiqué stated in part: “(The Executive Committee) noted and praised the efforts of the Presidential Task Force, the Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and pledged that everything would be done to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols issued by the relevant authorities even as the Government has graciously allowed the return of contact sports without fans in the arena.
“While praising the respective leadership of the League Management Company and the Nigeria Women Football League for the eventual commencement of the Season 2020/2021 of the NPFL and the Nigeria Women League.
“The Executive Committee charged both bodies to ensure strict compliance and conformity with all laid down COVID-19 protocols by the Clubs, match officials and all those who have anything to do with organization of the various matches before, during and after EVERY MATCH DAY.
“In furtherance to the above, the Executive Committee directed the various Leagues to report to the Football Committee, on monthly basis, its efforts in organization/full adherence to COVID-19 protocols as well as Club Licensing Regulations, and whatever challenges they may have. The Football Committee is to brief the Executive Committee accordingly.
“Also related to the successful organization and observance of best practices at venues of matches of the Nigeria Professional Football League and the Nigeria Women Football League, the Executive Committee instructed the League Management Company to offset outstanding entitlements of match officials.
“And Members of the Referees Appointment Committee once it receives the first tranche of payment from partners, Redstrike. The NFF Secretariat and the NFF Football Committee are mandated to ensure strict compliance with this directive.
“The Executive Committee also approved the mooted date of Saturday, 16th January 2021 for the commencement of the Season 2020-2021 of the Nigeria National League, and Wednesday, 10th February 2021 for the commencement of the new season for the Nigeria Nationwide League One.”
