TPLB slams top club officials for skipping one-day seminar

Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) has been left annoyed after some club officials failed to attend a seminar held in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

The seminar which was planned to discuss a number of ranging issues affecting the day to day running of the Mainland Premier League and the smooth running of the clubs, saw a number of officials from clubs skip it altogether.

TPLB chairman Stephen Mguto has now openly claimed they were gutted that some club officials opted against attending the meeting terming the situation as unwelcoming and unacceptable.

He further revealed only six secretaries-general out of the invited 20 attended the seminar.

“It should be known that general secretaries are the ones directly involved in day to day operation of clubs,” Mguto said as quoted by Daily News.

“In other words, they are the ones answerable when things are not right in their clubs.

“They are accounting officers of their clubs such that no amount from the club can be released without their knowledge. No trips a club can make without their consent that is why we invited them based on key roles they do in their respective clubs.”

Mguto further challenged the secretary generals of various clubs in the top-flight to make sure they properly use budgets as recommended.

“Some clubs let their chairmen control everything in terms of all operations something which is not encouraged because, as the board, we need to have one person we can directly face in case of any problem which may emerge,” Mguto continued.

“The knowledge we imparted during the seminar like finance, law, and media are very important for club general secretaries to understand so as to simplify their works.”

Meanwhile, TPLB has warmly welcomed the support they have been getting from the government saying the good relationship has to a large extent propelled for the success in running football leagues.

“Government is doing a great job to uplift sports in the country especially football hence, as we cherish our achievements, the roles played by the state cannot go without appreciation,” the board’s Chief Executive Officer Almas Kasongo said as quoted by the same publication.