Barely two months after the 2023 general elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that gulped a whooping sum of N305 billion earmarked, budgeted and released for its preparation and conduct, which also covers the cost of engaging the ad-hoc staff, some of those who worked in Anambra State are yet to be paid their allowances by the electoral body.
ANN reports that some of the Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), revealed that they had not received a dime from INEC for their services in the two elections, including the re-run and supplementary elections that held in different parts of the state thereafter.
ANN recalls that prior to the polls, the Commission recruited over 1.4 million ad-hoc staff, to complement and assist its workforce to conduct a free and fair election. It also mapped out a certain amount to be paid as allowance to the recruits.
One of the affected SPOs who does not want his name to be mention said they never expected that INEC would still owe them till this moment, considering all the stress, risk, and discomfort they encountered in the course of doing their job.
“The allowance for the presidential election is yet to be paid to the SPOs in the State, likewise the allowance for the State Assembly poll. The worst of it all is that they don’t even know how much they are expecting from INEC as payment for their jobs, as they were not told the exact amount to be paid by the Commission.
Another affected ad-hoc staff in the state (Name withheld) appealed to the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to prevail on the INEC officials in the state to pay them their money.
The SPOs unanimously threatened to stage a peaceful protest in the state, or report the INEC official to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if their allowances were not paid anytime soon.
They highlighted some of the steps, consultations and efforts they had made to facilitate the immediate payment of their money, as the top INEC officials in the state refused to give them listening ears, let alone showing concern for their plights or or ameliorating them.
