The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, has kick started the training of its staff in preparation for the upcoming local government election scheduled for September 28, 2024.
The training initiative began with the instruction of commissioners within the commission, and has since progressed to include Electoral Officers and other key staff members hailing from all council areas of the state.
Subsequent training sessions are set to encompass Ad-hoc staff and various other roles essential to the electoral process.
In her address marking the commencement of the training workshop, the Chairman of the commission, Magistrate Genevieve Osakwe, reaffirmed the commission’s dedication to ensuring a transparent, impartial, and credible election.
She emphasised that the training was designed to equip staff with the necessary skills to properly train others involved in the electoral process.
Osakwe gave assurances that the election would be conducted across all 21 local government areas in the sta
te, with adequate security measures in place and prompt deployment of personnel and voting materials.
She pledged that the will of the people would be accurately reflected in the election results and called on stakeholders, candidates, and religious leaders to educate and motivate the electorate to actively participate in the democratic process.
During the workshop, consultant and resource person Mr. Benjamin Igwe led a session focused on the responsibilities of polling team members, poll officers, duties of poll officials, the sorting and counting of ballots, and recording of votes.
Collaboration
He urged participants to collaborate closely to fulfill their mandate and ensure efficient coordination of electoral officers at the local level for effective service delivery.
In his remarks, the Commissioner overseeing Legal Services for the Commission, Osita Igbokwe encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the training.
He described the training as a refresher course, noting that all par
ticipants have previous experience in electoral processes.
The training also included assessments on Post-Election Duties, the roles and functions of returning Officers and Collation Officers, setting up polling units, closing polls, preparing ballots for sorting, sorting procedures, counting procedures, and recording of votes on result forms, among other topics.
The comprehensive training program undertaken by ANSIEC reflects the commission’s commitment to ensuring a smooth and successful local government election in Anambra State.
Source: Voice of Nigeria