Rescheduled Polls: What We’re Doing About Corpers’ Welfare

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu has said the safety and welfare provisions of corps members in the rescheduled elections will be improved.

The chairman made the statement while briefing Stakeholders on preparations for 2019 General Elections at the Abuja International Conference Centre on Wednesday.

“The condition of youth corpers sleeping rough and on the floor is very disturbing to the commission.

“Let me say that the youth corp members are among the most educated, reliable, patriotic and most readily election duty staff we have in Nigeria. They are graduates, or HND holders and very easy to train for that reason, and so we don’t joke with the welfare of youth corps member.”

Over the harsh experience of corps members recruited as ad-hoc staff for the botched February 16 polls, Yakuba said the commission has been in talks with the director general of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC S. Z. Kazaure and promises to deliver optimum convenience to corps member come Friday and Saturday.

“After the media briefing yesterday the DG NYSC called me, and in addition to the arrangements that we have made for the convenience of ad-hoc staff at the super racks where the states denied on Friday before deploying to the polling unit.

“Meaning where there is no water we have made big tanks available, we have provided buckets and toiletries, we have provided power so they can recharge the smart cards readers and also seize the opportunity to revise the election training manual.

“Arising from my interaction with DG NYSC yesterday, they are looking at how they can mobilise mattresses, used by the youth corps members in camp to places where the youth corps members are going to stay the night so that the layover before we open the polling units on Saturday can be more comfortable for them.

The commission also gave full assurances on the adequate arrangement for transport, accommodation, security, throughout the period of the elections adding that automatic employment awaits corps members who do exceptionally well in the delivery of their election duties.

“I am waiting for the DG NYSC to submit the details to the commission, but I want to assure you that anything that the commission can do to make the corps members comfortable, and all other staff, including their welfare and security, we will do.”

“Those who do exceptionally well during elections are accorded automatic employment by the commission. We would continue to improve on the welfare of corps members during elections and do whatever we can to protect them in the course of election duty.

Recall that the presidential and National Assembly elections have been rescheduled to Saturday, while the state elections will also hold a week later on March 9.