By Ralph Madugu
To assist the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission, PLASIEC to conduct a free, credible and transparent Local Government poll in October this year, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES has organised a 4-day capacity-building workshop for members and staff of PLASIEC.
The training aimed at equipping the staff of the Commission with requisite knowledge on conducting an election in line with global best practices focused on “Introduction to Electoral Administration and operations for PLASIEC staff.”
It was also aimed at drawing up an Election Project Plan, EPP, that would serve as a guideline for the election period.
Recall that Governor Caleb Mutfwang constituted and inaugurated the State Independent Electoral Commission recently paving the way for preparations towards the conduct of LG elections in the 17 LGC of the state.
Following its inauguration, the Commission swung into action by holding series of meetings with various stakeholders in the state.
At the opening of the 4-day training in Jos, IFES Country Director, Seray Jah, acknowledged the significance of having and effective and efficient electoral management body in the overall success of an election.
The IFES Country Director tasked participants with the need to be innovative in the discharge of their duties with diligence by abiding by the rule of law and ensuring that the election process is free, fair and transparent.
While assuring that IFES, with the mandate to educate different State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECS, across the country on comprehensive approaches to conducting seamless polls, would leave no stone unturned in achieving its goal.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman, of Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission, Hon. Plangji Cishak expressed optimism with the quality of interactions and knowledge acquired pledging that the Commission under his watch was poised to conduct an election that would stand the test of time and serve as a blueprint for other State Electoral Commissions to emulate.
The training featured paper presentations and extensive discussions among participants and facilitators as they took time to reflect on the Commission’s commitment towards regular training and retraining of staff to meet up with evolving trends in the electoral process.
The high point of the event was the presentation of certificates to participants who acknowledged the impact of the training