Moses Ofodeme
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has challenged its personnel in the Department of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) to quickly adjust to the ongoing reforms in the Commission.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, stated this on Thursday in Lokoja, while addressing participants at a three-day workshop on validation of INEC voter education manual.
He said that the workers needed to adjust so as to be in good position to communicate the changes to Nigerians.
“There is the need for you to have a full grasp of the changes, internalise them and develop capacities to understand its intricacies.
“You must understand the country and its peculiarities, and design communication strategies that are simple, creative, effective, forward-looking and targeted at the large and growing population that is adept in modern technology,” he said.
The workshop is being organised in partnership with International Federation for Electoral System (IFES).
In his remarks, INEC’s Director of Voter Education, Mr Nick Dajang, said that the workshop was aimed at reviewing the voter education manual, which, he said, was last reviewed in 2006.
He said that the workshop would afford the participants the opportunity of making inputs into the manual, stressing that the ultimate aim was to enable them own the document.
Dajang said that the review was to accommodate the changes that had taken place in the media sector, especially the social media.
At the end of the workshop, he said that participants, who are Heads of VEP in INEC offices in the 19 northern states, were expected to use the social media to communicate with Nigerians on electoral process, among others.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. James Apam, urged participants to take advantage of the workshop to broaden their knowledge and get prepared for off-season elections, holding this year and in 2022.
In his speech, the IFES Country Representative, Mr Seray Jah, who was represented by Mr Simon Fato, described the workshop as timely and necessary, especially with the approach of the 2003 general elections.