The paramount chief of the Asante kingdom has warned the leadership of the country’s football governing body to improve on officiating in league games
Asante Kingdom’s paramount chief, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has warned Ghana Football Association top hierarchy to help the standard of officiating in Ghana Premier League before things get out of hands.
The FA president Kurt Okraku and some members of the association’s executive council paid a courtesy call on Otumfuo at his Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Wednesday.
There have been concerns raised about officiating especially from Asante Kotoko fans following their side’s painful defeat against city rivals King Faisal in the Kumasi derby.
“If you don’t make sure to protect the game from bad officiating, it will spoil the game,” Otumfuo warned the FA top hierarchy present at Manhyia.
“We also have to be trustful because if we don’t get a worthy winner for our league, they will easily fall off when it matters most [in Caf inter-club competitions].
“Thus, it is because the rules work perfectly at this highest level. The referees should be firm in their calls if it’s a penalty, they should take it and should hesitate to do same when it’s offside,” he added.
Ahead of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon, only one Ghanaian referee (Daniel Laryea) was selected among 64 others referees to officiate the games.
