INEC deploys more staff, ad-hoc staff for PVCs collection in Enugu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has deployed more staff and ad-hoc staff to Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection centres in wards and local government levels within Enugu.

INEC has fixed Feb. 25 for Presidential and National Assembly elections as well as March 11 for the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, told NAN in Enugu on Sunday that it was imperative that more hands were deployed to wards and council areas with large numbers of uncollected PVCs.

According to him, for collection of PVCs, INEC announced Dec. 12, 2022 to Jan. 22, 2023; however, extended it by a week.

“INEC mapped out a programme from Jan. 6 to Jan. 16 for the ward level distribution and when the commission saw the surge in collection, it extended the ward collection to Jan. 22.

“Then, the collection of PVCs will go back to the local government from the ward levels from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29, 2023.

“On our review, we found out that some of the ward and local governments have quite a number of uncollected PVCs.

“So, we already deployed more staff and ad-hoc staff in those areas to help in issuance of the PVCs to the rightful owners.

“So, for INEC, we are doing our best to see that the people of Enugu State and Nigeria as a whole collect their PVCs in general,” he said.

The REC, who did not disclose the number of PVCs uncollected in the state, noted that the commission would continue to ensure hitch-free and stress-free collection of PVCs in the state.