Exceptional NYSC Ad hoc Staff Will Be Employed, Says INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has vowed to recruit the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who perform exceptionally in the conduct of the 2019 elections.
This was revealed by the chairman of the electoral body, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu during his briefing on Wednesday, while he addressed the issue of the welfare for the corps members as well as other staff.
Last week, as the nation’s presidential and parliamentary elections were postponed less than six hours to the poll, second to the argument that evolved because of the last minute of postponement was the unpalatable situations corps members were subjected to as they waited to begin their temporary duties for INEC the next morning, Saturday on February 16.
The INEC chairman stated that arrangements are being made to improve the welfare of the youths and others.
“The youth corps members are among the most educated, most reliable, most patriotic, and most readily available ad-hoc staff we have… so we don’t joke with the wellbeing of corps members,” Yakubu said.
“Arising from my interaction with the DG NYSC yesterday, they are looking at how they can mobilise mattresses, used by the youth corps members in camp to places where the youth corps members are going to stay the night so that the layover before we open the polling units on Saturday can be more comfortable for them.
“I am waiting for the DG NYSC to submit the details to the commission, but I want to assure you that anything that the commission can do to make the corps members comfortable, and all other staff, including their welfare and security, we will do.”
“Those who do exceptionally well during elections are accorded automatic employment by the commission. We would continue to improve on the welfare of corps members during elections and do whatever we can to protect them in the course of election duty.
He added that the commission has been working with the security agencies to provide protection even at the corper’s lodges across the nation.
He said in the past, these lodges were raided when the corps members were not around, and stole their personal effects.
