General Secretary of the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG), Alex Anning, is pleading with referees and Match Commissioners not to boycott the remaining Ghana Premier League matches over unpaid allowances for 21 weeks.
In a letter sighted by Kickgh.com, the group, Concerned Referees and Match Commissioners of Ghana (CRAMCOG) warned they will not officiate any more games until their debts are paid off.
However, RAG Secretary, Anning, in an interview with Peace FM gave credence to the referees' anger, but pleaded with them to be patient while steps are being taken to resolve the issue.
"We got information that something like that is likely to happen in the first place. What I will say to correct the impression that it is not from our outfit. Yesterday they issued a statement that a letter will come out very soon to clarify the direction this letter will come out. It is not necessarily to condemn them," Anning said.
"In fact if you look at the issues they have presented they are issues that are part of our list of problems, that is they are not paid on time, they have played matches 29 and only 8 have been paid. The question is that 21 of them travel and you take a look at transport now when they go they sleep they eat where will they get the money from. Inflation too is going up so when they are even paid the cost at that time is not really the same as at the time they are being paid.
"All these are things that are worrying us as RAG leadership doesn't sit well with us so for the past three four months it is a fight we have been fighting that they will be paid but discussions and our meetings we are doing something about it. It looks like we have delayed a bit but what I will say is our brothers and sisters who have planned to demonstrate in our game of football we will plead with them they should hold on for a bit and allow us because we haven't slept on the matter," he concluded.
By: Pascal Amoah
