Nation
Election Duty: INEC Assures Corps Members On Security
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has said the commission would continue to place premium on the security of corps members on election duty.
Yakubu gave the assurance during a Courtesy Visit of the Commission’s Management Staff on the Acting Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Christy Uba, recently.
Describing the role of corps members as the most critical in the election process, Yakubu said the corps members operate at the most important level of election, which is the polling unit, the only level where citizens actually vote.
“So, for that reason, we will also extend insurance cover in case of injury or other emergencies to all corps members involved in election duty.
“Working with the security agencies, we will also extend protection and security to the youth corps members’ lodges when they are deployed to the field on election days.
“This is because we have had some unhappy experiences before, when some hoodlums raided the corps members’ lodges in some places, while they were on election duty.
“So, we will continue to take whatever step that is necessary to protect and guarantee the security and welfare of the corps members,’’ Mr Yakubu assured.
The INEC Chairman said the commission would continually operate within the framework of the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the commission and the NYSC.
He assured the training and retraining of the ad hoc staff, majority of who are youth corps members, in the handling of election technology.
“They will be responsible for the management of the polling units, management of elections resources, including sensitive materials, accreditation of voters, using the Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVRS) on election days”, he said.
According to Yakubu, the corps members are more involved immediately the voting processes are over.
“They record the results on the result sheets.
“When all the party agents have signed, then, they will be responsible for snapping the result at that level, using the BVRS, and transmitting same in real time.’’
Mr Yakubu said the commission was fully ready for the forthcoming general elections.
The Chairman said INEC would ensure that all materials and staff got to their respective places of assignment on time, and that the polling units, too, would open promptly.
Responding, Mrs Uba expressed the NYSC’s continued readiness to partner with the commission, adding that a lot had been achieved over time.
According to her, regarding the forthcoming election, the corps members are eager, as the youth are very interested in it, and will make sure that they work hard to make things right.
She, however, said the scheme and the commission were expected to play their roles.
“On the preparation for the 2023 general elections, we have directed state coordinators to encourage corps members to register on the INEC portal, and I believe they have done that.
“Corps’ Welfare and Service Department is expected to visit states to assure corps members and staff of the commitment of INEC and NYSC, of their safety while on election duties.
“This is to further encourage them, given the situation we have found ourselves. They need to be assured that their security is being taken care of”, she said.
Uba continued that state coordinators had been directed to combine names and phone numbers of key security personnel in the states and local government areas for dissemination to corps members who wish to participate in the exercise.
She said all state coordinators had also been directed to liaise with all State Security Services (SSS) and other security agencies to identify crisis-prone areas in the state.
According to her, such volatile areas will be forwarded to the NYSC headquarters for monitoring.
Uba said in view of the number of corps members that would be required by INEC, the scheme had concluded plans to hold the 2023 Batch A Stream One course in
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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