INEC meets MWUN, promises over 3 thousand boats for movement of elections materials in 17 littoral states
INEC meets MWUN, promises over 3 thousand boats for movement of elections materials in 17 littoral states
…Adeyanju says assignment is for national interest, not for monetary gains.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Friday , discussed modalities on how to implement the principles of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the duo on movement of electoral materials in 17 littoral states across the country before, during and after the general elections slated for February 25 and March 11, 2023.
Prof Bolade Eyinla, Technical Advisor to the INEC Chairman who led delegations of the INEC team explained that the objective of engaging the MWUN personnel, is to ensure credible polls as well as to engender peace , transparency, accountability and credible polls during the exercise.
According to him, the Commission would provide over three thousand boats, life jackets, security personnel among other necessities.
He added further that the names and phone numbers of boat drivers and other officials engaged in the exercise shall be made available by INEC and that they shall take oaths of affirmation of neutrality of not having any political affiliation whatsoever.
He maintained that group insurance cover shall be provided for the personnel during the exercise adding that INEC will inspect those boats along with NIMASA, NIWA and Marine Police to be used prior to election to ensure their suitability for usage.
The INEC chief stated that the union personnel would be expected to carry election materials from the point of loading to the points of discharge across the waterways to the people in the riverine communities.
This, according to INEC boss, is to make sure that nobody is denied his or her franchise during the voting exercise.
He also disclosed that INEC will provide over 3000 boats to the littoral states, pointing that plans are already afoot to deploy 900 water crafts to Bayelsa State , while while Lagos and Rivers States will receive 400 boats each.
Other states affected in the exercise are: Ogun, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Delta, Ondo, Imo , Kogi, etc
In his response, the President General MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju said the assignment was aimed to promote national interest.
He promised that the union would give its maximum support for the success of the exercise.
Adeyanju, who doubles as the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said that injury to one is injury to all, noting that the monetary benefit is not the focus of the union but the spirit of patriotism.