Anambra election : INEC, NWTF end Workshop on Continuous Voter Education

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in collaboration with Nigerian Women Trust Fund, have ended a three day training of women from various Communities across Anambra State on the Continuous Voter Education. 

The workshop, focused on curbing voter apathy and other electoral challenges ahead of the August 16, Senatorial bye election and November 8 governorship poll in Anambra state, was held at Radisson Onyx Apartment, Awka, State capital, and funded by the European Union (EU)

The workshop tagged, “Train the Trainers On Voter Education”,  was aimed at training the participants to mobilize and train other women in various communities and council areas.

Fielding questions from newsmen, the program Officer of NWTF, Malliya Manu said the objective of the workshop was to familiarize women with electoral processes through voter education in other to encourage more women during election.

She added that the workshop equally targeted to mobilize community women grassroot, Civil Society Organization (CSO), Social and Internal Development Center (SIDEC) and other organizations that would help to step down voter education to more women especially at the rural communities.

Manu stressed the need for the voter education adding that the women should come out in their large number to vote  during the upcoming August 16 Senatorial bye election and Governorship election billed for November 8 in the state.

“We are training women and each of them would step down to get 50 women so that we can get across the state and they would also be encouraged to get into grassroot communities not only in the cities but in the rural Communities so that we can have women in large number coming out to vote on the election day” She stated. 

She expressed optimism that the  voter education would help in curbing voter apathy as observed in the recent election, stressing that she has confidence that with the voter education during the workshop, women would participate fully in the Anambra State November 8 gubernatorial election.

“We work directly with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) within the state and SIDEC to get women. So, INEC provides 20 women, SIDEC provides 10 women, all locally based organizations and women that have already been conducting voter education or market women who can reach grassroot” Manu noted.

According to her, every trainer would select 50 participants whether in her community, association, Church, Village, or any where the trainer considers it favourable to gather 50 women she should go ahead and train them.

Speaking to the participants, Vaneza Gregory explained that voter education is to encourage and prepare voters for active participation during election.

She also emphasized on why prospective voters should be educated, explaining that voters education is essential for assisting election.

Vaneza Gregory who is one of the lead resource persons to NWTF said universality, Impartiality and Clarity are principles of voters education.

Addressing the participants, Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Elizabeth Agwu encouraged women to always uphold their integrity especially by shunning vote buying during election,and commended their courage in attending the workshop.

 Agwu however disclosed that from 193,170 new registered voters captured in the latest continuous voter registration exercise in the state, over 150,000 were women, and expressed satisfaction that the development showed more women are becoming aware of electoral matter.  

Among the participants in the workshop included; Executive Director for Social and Internal Development Center (SIDEC), Ugochi Ehiahuruike, INEC Representative, various civil society Organizations, Solicitor General Anambra State, and Ngozi Anuli Iwuno Emma.