PVCs: Zamfara Govt. sets up committee to sensitise residents

Zamfara Government has set up a 14-man committee to educate, mobilise and sensitise residents on the ongoing voters registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, Chairman of the Committee and Speaker, House of Assembly, told newsmen in Gusau on Friday, that the aim was to encourage all eligible voters to register.

He said that the government decided to inaugurate the committee considering the low awareness among residents of the state on the exercise.

“It is a national exercise, it was a directive given by the Federal Government to states to mobilise, educate and sensitise people to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

“Government is not satisfied with the peoples’ response to the issues of PVCs registration, and collection of voters’ card.

“That is why it instructed the states to carry out the sensitisation exercise to educate voters particularly those that have not collected their PVCs.

“Apart from the 14-man committee I am heading, which comprised, commissioners, political parties representatives, INEC officials and other stakeholders, we also formed another sub-committees at local government and ward levels which comprised traditional rulers and local authorities to handle the matter at their respective levels.

“Our major duty is to ensure effective mobilisation, education and sensitisation of the public on the ongoing voters registration and collection of PVCs.

“That is why we involved all the stakeholders up to grassroots in order to succeed in the assignment.

“We will also work hand in hand with non-governmental organisations, Civil Society Organisations, religious leaders and the media to ensure effective mobilisation at grassroots level.

“It is very disheartening, Zamfara was left behind in the area of collection of PVCs, out of 60,000 PVCs with INEC for the people of the state, only 493 people have so far collected.

“So we need more sensitisation and mobilisation of our people to collect their cards,’’ he said.

He charged members of the committee to be dedicated and hardworking while discharging their duties.