Akwa-Ibom: INEC Replaces Burnt I98 Smart Card Readers, Says Polls Proceed As Scheduled - Liberty TV/Radio - News - Voice For All! Vision For Alll!
Editor 4
March 9, 2019
TheIndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC said it has replaced andreconfigured the 198 Smart Card Readers that were on Friday burnt in its officein lbesikpo Asutan Local Government, Area of Akwa-Ibom State.
TheINEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter EducationCommittee Festus Okoye, in a statement issued in Abuja said that in spite ofthe incident, polls in the state would proceed as scheduled.
Hesaid that the commission witnessed a fire incident its office, which occurredin the early hours of Friday.
Hesaid that several sensitive and non-sensitive materials for Saturday‘sGovernorship and State House of Assembly elections were destroyed including 198Smart Card Readers, the printed Register of Voters, 13 generating sets as wellas several Voting Cubicles and office equipment were destroyed by the fire.
Okoyesaid that though the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, a report hadbeen made to the law enforcement agencies and the Fire Service.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP has assured Nigerian women that it would continue to work towards removing gender imbalance and discrimination.
TheDirector General, NAPTIP Julie Okah-Donli, gave the assurance in a statement incommemoration of the 2019 International Women’s Day. She said that the agencyhad taken steps to ensure that victims of human trafficking, who were mostlywomen, were adequately rehabilitated.
Okah-Donlidescribed the theme of this year’s celebration which is “Balance for Better’’is apt considering the roles of women in the country.
Shesaid that NAPTIP under her watch had rescued more than 20,000 victims of humantrafficking, emphasising that most of the victims were women.
TheDirector-General assured that NAPTIP would continue to implement actions andpolicies that would enhance a balanced and better life for Nigerian women.