In preparation for the upcoming local government elections on September 28, the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has initiated the training of its staff to ensure a smooth and successful election process.
The training began with sessions for commissioners within the commission and extended to Electoral Officers and key staff members from all council areas across the state. Additional training for Ad-hoc staff and other personnel will follow.
Speaking at the opening of the training workshop, ANSIEC Chairman Magistrate Genevieve Osakwe reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to delivering a free, fair, and credible election. She explained that the training is designed to equip staff to further train their colleagues and others involved in the election. Magistrate Osakwe assured the public that the elections would take place across all 21 local government areas, with adequate security and timely delivery of personnel and materials.
She also reassured Ndi Anambra that the people’s mandate would be reflected in the results and called on stakeholders, candidates, and religious leaders to educate and motivate voters to participate in the election process.
During the workshop, consultant and resource person Mr. Benjamin Igwe spoke on the roles and responsibilities of polling teams, covering topics such as poll officers’ duties, ballot sorting and counting, and vote recording. He urged participants to collaborate closely and ensure the effective coordination of electoral officers for efficient service delivery.
Commissioner for Legal Services, Barrister Osita Igbokwe, also encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the training, describing it as a refresher course since most participants have previous electoral experience.
Participants were tested on various post-election duties, including the roles of returning officers, ballot sorting procedures, and vote counting, to ensure their readiness for the election.
