President of New Edubiase Abdul Salam Yakubu has launched a sensational tribal rant at referees in the First Capital Plus Premier League.

The administrator has suggested that officials from the Volta and Greater Accra Regions are against his side, who are at the wrong end of the league log. 

Having drawn 1-1 away at BA United om Sunday, the official was heated when Asempa FM reached him for his post-match thoughts.

"I've not seen this kind of game before. Lots of teams play and a lot of these things happen. The appointment committee must watch these happenings," he began, complaining about being robbed by match officials.

He went on: "See what [centre ref] Jonathan Tetteh did today. I respect referees from Accra but look, all my teams' matches have been officiated by Accra and Ewe refs. We [Edubiase] don't have any support in Ghana. Everyone is against us."  

The lamentations did not end there, as Salam alleged a grand plot to kick him team out of the top flight. "They want us to be pushed into relegation but by God, we won't go down!"

Having made these claims on Sunday, he was reached again on Monday morning to confirm his inflammable sentiments.

But he simply continued from where he left off the day before, saying he does "not need referees from the Volta and Greater Accra regions for the rest of my games."

Edubiase play Hasaacas at home, then travel to Aduana before finishing the season with a home game against Lions.

Official response

In reaction to these comments, the head of the Referees Appointment Committee (RAC) spoke to Joy FM later on Monday afternoon.

"I don't understand some of these officials," Matthew Narh Doe told the Joy Sports Track.

The administrator, popularly known by his initials, MNS Doe, went on to say that comments like those of the Edubiase boss do not bother him in the least.

"I am not worried because if indeed these complaints are valid, these club officials should report to the regulatory bodies officially and stop lodging complaints on radio.

"We appoint refs for games in conjunction with the Premier League Board in an office. Why should we be worried about complaints made on radio and not to us?"

Doe was quick to remind the show that many referees have been fined or banned, where they've been found culpable, in the course of the over 200 matches that have been played in the league this season.

"Where refs don't do their jobs well and we get complaints, we have acted swiftly and that's a fact. The refs know that when there is sufficient evidence we will deal with them."

The RAC boss also issued a stern warning to any officials planning to compromise their integrity in the last three games of the season to beware of the remorseless punishment awaiting them should they be caught.

"We will not spare anyone who is found to be guilty," he charged.

MNS Doe pointed out that it is standard practise for the RAC not to appoint referees from the same region as any of any two teams playing a league match, while at a loss at to why any particular region will have problems with Ashanti Region-based Edubiase.

Meanwhile, Abdul Salam has not been alone in issuing complaints about officiating this weekend, with notable personalities including Olympics skipper Godwin Attram and Kotoko coach David Duncan doing same.

-

Follow Gary on Twitter: @garyalsmith. Get more updates on Facebook/Twitter with the #JoySports hashtag