The Referees Manager position became vacant after the Anas expose and as a requirement for the GFA to receive the Fifa forward grant, the Ghana football Association is expected to announce a new referees Manager.

Per information gathered by Ghanaguardian.com's Akakpo Agodji,  eight  referees were shortlisted for the top job.

Interviews were conducted through zoom meetings because of the covid-19 pandemic.

The GFA president was a member of the panel together with the general secretary and some members of the referees committee.

Information gathered indicates that the members of the panel were very much impressed with one of the candidate's vision statement for refereeing development in Ghana.

It should be noted that the GFA president is said to have been impressed with the candidate and the whole panel unanimously accepted that particular candidate awaiting approval from the executive council.

However there seems to be a new twist as a former member of the normalization committee is pushing for gender balance and  using political powers to tie the hands of the FA president and the members of the panel.

The bane of Ghana football for some years now has been with officiating even with the Anas expose most persons culpable were officiating officials.

Ghana football Association has suffered a lot in the past years in terms of referees  and this is the time we have to look for competent person to head the referees department rather than looking for  reasons of gender balance and the use of political powers to influence decisions of this nature.

Nobody thought that Ghana would have gotten a new set of referees in this short period to handle our matches right from the NC competition to the league.

The new set of referees have exhibited a new sense of professionalism and integrity in their line of work hitherto not seen in the local scene.

At this point in time what is needed is competence over any gender considerations as it not the time to toy with our football.

There have been many bold, tough but prudent decisions Kurt E.S Okraku's administration have taken and the appointment of the referees Manager position should consolidate the agenda of igniting passion and not to extinguish it.

The termination of coach Akwasi Appiah's appointment amidst opposition and influence from the powers that be in politics is one of the many examples that shows that the FA president is capable and would appoint the right candidate for the development of  football industry in Ghana.

Long Live the beautiful game and may quality and triumph over sentiments!!!