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| Jega |
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on
Friday solicited European Union’s (EU) technical support on voter education and
training of personnel.
The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made
the appeal when he received the Head of European Union delegation, Amb. Michel
Arrion at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Jega said such a support had become necessary to improve the
commission’s operational efficiency in logistic deployment.
"As we move towards 2015 general elections, there is need
for additional collaboration and cooperation in a number of areas, most
especially in voter education.
"I believe we can do whatever we can to ensure a
remarkably more enlightened voter education by 2015.
"Enlightened voters, who could come out and discharge
their civil duties, participate in the electoral process and do the right thing
that will ensure that their votes are not wasted, will be welcomed.
"We need a more structured way in which EU, in
particular, can fund some of the
dissemination exercise on radio or on television``, Jega said.
He said INEC would develop a packaged programme on voter
education which EU could provide financial support to be aired on TV and Radio
stations nationwide.
``It is very costly to do television and radio announcement
and, frankly, our budget is insufficient to accommodate as much voter education
as we want to do or to see done,’’ the chairman said.
He added that the commission had benefited from many
training programmes and workshops from EU through Democratic and Governance
Project of UNDP.
Jega, however, said that more training was required in the
area of logistics and operations.
``More target training is required in the area of logistics
and operations which can help us to overcome some of our logistic and
operationsl challenges.
``This can be structured from the zonal or at the national
level but at least much targeted training that can help improve operational
efficiency in logistic deployment will be appreciated.
``I think these two areas can be addressed to enhance our
operational capacity as we move toward 2015 general elections’’, he said.
The chairman also stressed the need for training of
journalists to ensure responsible reporting, strengthening professionalism and
ethical conduct.
This, according to
Jega, will develop and enhance competency and professionalism in their daily
reportage.
He said that factual, objective and balanced reporting were
very essential to the attainment of credible elections in 2015.
Jega commended the union and its member-states for their
tireless support to INEC in deepening democratic culture in the country.
“We have nothing but commendation for the partnership and
the support we have enjoyed from the European Union Commission and from the
office here in Nigeria.’’
Responding, Arrion said the EU was determined to provide
technical assistance to INEC to enable it to achieve its mandate of conducting
transparent elections.
He said the objective of their visit was to find out the
level of INEC’s implementation of EU recommendations on ways to enhance credible
elections in the country.
“We are also proposing to have a technical meeting in
September with INEC personnel with a view to identifying possible areas of
cooperation to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in 2015.
``This will enable us to know the right time to send long
and short term election observer team for the 2015 general elections’’, Arrion
said.
(NAN)
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