In its determination to ensure a more efficient and hitch-free electoral service delivery in 2015 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commissionon Thursday disclosed that improvements have been made in the electoral policies of the Commission.
The commission further revealed that it has expanded the election official’s scope by integrating the past officers in the processes of elections because of their wealth of electoral experience.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made the disclosure at a sensitisation workshop for Desk Officers of the Committee on the Participation of Past Officers in electoral activities in Abuja.
According to Jega: “The commission has expanded the election official’s scope by integrating the past officers because of their wealth of electoral experience.”
Jega, who was represented by a National Commissioner, Amina Zakari, pointed out that since the 2011 general elections, “improvements have been made in the electoral policies of the Commission, the objective being to ensure a more efficient and hitch-free electoral service delivery in 2015 general elections.
“Many reforms and innovations in the electoral process of the commission have been radically different from what many of us used to know.”
The INEC Chairman explained that the only way to tap from the wealth of experience of these past officers is to assemble them for electoral duties, keep them informed of the current procedures and update them on reforms put in place by the commission.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the committee and a National Commissioner of INEC, Colonel Mohammed Hammanga (rtd), harped on the need to engage people of experience to support, hence the proposal for the engagement of some retired officers of the commission.
Hammanga’s words: Apart from the general conduct of election and monitoring, the resources of these individuals will also be galvanized in areas such as training, voter education and information, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Campaign Financing, Legal, Logistics and Electoral Research.”