Sport

RAG-Volta Maintains Leadership at Quadrennial Congress in Ho

By Tilda Acorlor.

The Volta Regional Referees Association of Ghana (RAG-Volta) has retained its leadership for another four years as they all went unopposed at the 4th Quadrennial Congress held in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.

The purpose of the Congress was to elect new executives and deliberate on issues concerning the progress of refereeing in the region.

The Chairman, Mr. John Listowell Zilevu expressed gratitude on behalf of the executives for trusting them to lead the Association for another term.

“I want to express my profound gratitude to you all, not because no one has contested me, but I had a sleepless night thinking of what might have happened, it is either they saw our suffering and don’t want to suffer or they saw that we should continue doing what we have done because they are content.” Mr. Zilevu said.

The Akatsi Training College (Akatsico) lecturer assured members of receptive cooperation between the Volta Regional Football Association (VRFA) and RAG-Volta.

“All concerns raised about the cordial relationship between the RFA and RAG will be taken seriously, the hallmark of it all is unity,” he said.

Most Referees are yet to come to terms with the change from the Ghana FA with regards to the new Refereeing structure which many feels are a sideline to RAG as an association.

By the new Refereeing structure, a Referee’s Manager is appointed by the General Secretary in accordance with Article 44 (k) of the GFA Statutes 2019, which states as among the functions of the General Secretary that, “He (General Secretary) will propose to the Executive Council for approval, the appointment of Deputy General Secretaries. All other appointments may be made by the General Secretary subject to the approval of the Executive Council.”

Previously, RAG has the power and control over Referees but this new change has reduced its powers as Referees will exclusively deal directly with the FA in its leagues and football matches.

Mr. Zilevu commended Volta Referees for their commitment and recent improvements on the job, he cited Selorm Yao Bless and Rustum Gameli Senorgbe for their hard work in the Ghana Premier League.

“The Volta region refereeing has improved from middle school leavers to now graduate, I was happy when the districts were reading their reports, it shows the caliber of people we have as referees in the Volta region, gone at the days when FIFA referees have translators for even the English language,” He said.

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Dzifa Asamoah who took notice of how referees complain about the cordial existence between the Regional FA and RAG urged the Former RFA Chairman, Francis Dogbatse who was the special guest to step in as a unifier between the two Associations.

The Volta FA Secretary, Promise Ahiagba was present at the Congress. In attendance were Referees from districts in the Volta and Oti regions.

Below are positions maintained