Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Akwa Ibom, Mr Frank Archibong has urged Chairmen of Councils in the state to champion the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in their respective councils.
Archibong gave the charge in a special meeting with the chairmen of the 31 local government areas on in Uyo on yesterday.
The commissioner urged the chairmen to encourage every one of voting age within their domains, especially the youths, to engage actively in the exercise.
“There are no better positioned persons to simplify the ongoing PVC registration process than the local government council chairmen and other leaders at that level.” Archibong said.
He stressed that the first critical step of participating in governance was to get a voter’s card that enables them determine who governs them and how they are governed.
He said the aim of the meeting was to notify council helmsmen on the need to resume CVR exercise in their different local government councils.
The commissioner expressed optimism that Akwa Ibom would be ranked among states with the highest number of those registered, considering the state’s current population density.
He added that election could only be guaranteed if people were adequately educated on how to use android phones and laptops to key into the INEC’s new model of online registration.
He, therefore, encouraged the helmsmen to carry out massive enlightenment campaigns for indigenes and residents of their councils, who were eligible to participate in the 2023 elections.
“It will be a great disservice to the local populace if council chairmen ignore the need to, not just properly educate their people on the online registration processes, but the need to massively mobilise those who are eligible to be registered.” The commissioner said.
He further tasked the chairmen to go as far as drafting computer literate persons with android phones and laptops to rural communities to help the rural dwellers who were not conversant with the use of the devices.
The commissioner lauded support staff from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in every local government area, saying they staff would help make the process less hectic for indigenes.
He urged the chairmen to go back to their domains and engage the councilors, traditional rulers, youth leaders and women leaders in the task of creating awareness and sensitising the people on how to go about the online registration.
Responding on behalf of the chairmen, Mr Iniobong Robinson, Chairman of Esit Eket Local Government Area, commended the commissioner for his lofty programmes for the state.
He promised they would sensitise eligible voters above 18 years and those who had not been registered to help them in the exercise ,to get their PVCs in the state.
