The INEC in Rivers has commenced the upgrading of its Information Technology (IT) department to ensure competence during the registration of voters.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Aniedi Ikiowak, said on Tuesday in Port Harcourt that at present, the commission had not commenced voters’ registration.
Ikiowak explained that although the registration was an on-going exercise, the states that had more focus on it were those preparing for elections this year.
He said that states like Edo, Ondo, Adamawa and Kogi were on the update of the voters’ cards and registration of new voters.
According to him, in other states where elections are expected in 2015, orientation, training and update of the IT have been going on to meet up with the challenges of data capturing and transfers.
Ikiowak said that the commission had been receiving applications for transfer of data within local governments and the state.
He explained that the applications came from people relocating their places of residence.
Ikiowak said that personnel in the commission had been undergoing various training while some were being posted to areas with low workforce.
He said that the commission had embarked on voters' education through series of public enlightenment programmes.
Ikiowak said such programmes included a radio discussion where? people from all walks of life would appraise the commission and the elected officers.
“Such programmes are ways of enlightening the people and energising the political process so the people can be conscious of the environment.
Ikiowak also said that the commission had prepared a seminar for school principals in the state as a way of preparing the secondary school children for voting process.
“It is a noble idea of trying to inculcate voters’ education into the curriculum of secondary schools
“Before that is done, the heads of schools need to know what the whole thing is all about.
“It is not an addition into the curricular of schools.
“It is just a way of letting the growing children understand their rights so that before they get to 18, they really know what is called voting and how to register.”
“The commission would now meet and come out with a date that would be made public and the commencement would affect the whole 36 states and Abuja.
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