Edo Guber : INEC To Replace Damaged Facilities

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is to replace all facilities damaged by flood in its Edo state headquarters office before the September governorship election.

INEC Chairman, Professor. Mahmood Yakubu gave the assurance in Benin, when he visited the state for on the spot assessment of impact of last week’s flooding on the state office.

Professor Yakubu also assured Edo people that in spite of the setback caused by the flood, INEC would continue with the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in the state.

He said the commission would salvage some of the equipment that can be reclaimed, then mobilise resources from neighbouring states to replace the shortfalls for successful conduct of the state election.

Professor Yakubu who was accompanied by some INEC national commissioners; the Federal Controller, Federal Ministry of Works in Edo, Hassan Babatunde, said he came with a team that would help to assess the level of loss to the flood and the way forward.

Speaking after a meeting with INEC staff, Professor Yakubu said at the moment the commission was not making plan to relocate the state office but to find permanent solutions to the flood change.

He expressed the commission’s commitment to staff welfare and a decent working environment for workers in all INEC offices across the country.

In his remarks, the Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, commended the proactive response of the commission to the May 24 flood.

Onuoha pledged commitment of Edo staff to credible and successful elections inspire of ladt Friday’s flood incident.

Some of the damaged facilities includes Bimodal Voter Accreditation Machines (BVAS), vehicles, photocopier and printing machines, office equipment, the office fence and infrastructure.

INEC Chairman later visited some of the registration centres in the ongoing CVR in the state and had a meeting with the state commissioner of Police.

Kayode Oyedare, Edited By Grace Namiji