ENUGU: INEC partners IFES on training of officials ahead of LGA elections

Ahead of the upcoming Local government election in Enugu state, officials of Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission has commenced A three-day "train the trainersÔÇØ workshop on polling and counting procedures

The united agency for international development training, together with the International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES) facilitated the support of the training; this is coming on the heels of the forthcoming local government election in Enugu state.

The released notice slated February 29, 2020 for the local government election, the notice was made known by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) in December 4 2019.

The International Foundation for Electoral System (CC) on Tuesday held training for ENSIEC officials with the aim of building their capacity to train poll workers on polling and counting procedure, As part of its serious commitment to building capacity in a developing democracy,

To ensure that every staff deployed for election is fully equipped for the task of conducting credible and reliable polls.

The executive chairman, Enugu state independent electoral commission, ENSIEC, Prof Mike Ajogwu On declaring the workshop open, said that the workshop is part of efforts of the commission to ensure that every staff deployed during the election is fully equipped for the task of conducting credible and reliable polls.

To ensure that all staff deployed for the elections is fully equipped for the services they are required to render, the commission is collaborating with IFES to organize this training.

"This workshop is designed to train the trainers who will at the end of this workshop, be required to train others. It is important to state clearly here the absolute need for participants to accord the facilitators the necessary cooperation to ensure proper education as this will contribute to the conduct of credible upcoming local government elections in Enugu stateÔÇØ.

"Let me at this point thank all participants for your willingness to participate in this very important workshop as this highlights our collective willingness to improve local government elections in Enugu state.

"Let me also specially thank International Federation for Electoral Systems for this timely support towards the elections. We sincerely appreciate your support even as we look forward to more collaboration towards future elections.'' He said.

In a message to the occasion, IFES Country Director, Hermann Thiel represented by the Program Manager, Simon Fanto said the organization with headquarters in Virginia, USA works toward strengthening democracy and ensuring credibility in the electoral processes.

"Nigeria has been in Nigeria since 1998. It has been working very closely with INEC and SIECs in ensuring that there is credibility in the processes of elections and electoral circleÔÇØ.

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"IFES partners with you closely to ensure that building capacity in a developing democracy will always lead to greater and progressive democracyÔÇØ.

Speaking in an interview, ENSIEC Commissioner Chris Ogbonna charged participants to take advantage of the training to improve their skills and efficiency.

Other participants including ENSIEC secretary, Tagbo Nnamah, and Charles Okoro said the workshop came at the right time as the local government election is barely three weeks from now.

The International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES) is a non-governmental, non-political organization that works around the world to promote and strengthen democracy.