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Ahead of the January 16, commencement of voters registration exercise, the Ebonyi State government has embarked on an aggressive sensitisation campaign in all rural communities of the state.

Addressing the people of Ivo at the council headquarters, the Special Adviser to the Ebonyi governor on attitudinal change, Ken Uhuo said the state government had set aside prizes for communities that would record the highest number of voters during the exercise.

The special adviser said that there was need to sensitise people on the exercise in order to check the lingering cases of voter apathy and other related electoral problems bedevelling the electoral process.

“Electoral fraud has made many Nigerians to distance themselves from participating in voter registration, but be assured that votes at the 2011 elections must count,’’ he said.

Uhuo, however, advised the people to strive to get registered during the exercise, saying: “With your voters card, you will be able to elect candidates of your choice.”

He said that gone were the days when politicians would force themselves into power against peoples wish.

“Be informed that the number of registered voters would to a great extent determine the possibility to create more wards in such community.”

“So there is the need for the chairmen, councillors, traditional rulers, teachers, town union leaders and leaders of thought to mobilise their people to participate actively in the exercise,’’ he said.

Mr Kelechi Mbam, Director of Attitudinal Change, Ebonyi, cautioned that the state government would sanction any political appointee found to be complacent in his or her duties.

“Any functionary in the state who is not doing well while in office or fails to provide the people with social amenities so as to alleviate their impoverished standard of living would be sanctioned,’’ he noted.

Mr Edward Orji, vice chairman, Ivo Local Government Area, said the attitudinal change campaign would help Ebonyi citizens understand the importance of moral value and ethical standards in all endeavour.

“The people of Ivo will ensure that we get registered at the forth coming exercise in January 2011,’’ he said.

The  sensitisation campaign attracted both old and young from the council area including the four development centres.