Awka – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commission is currently conducting verification of the 21,000 ad hoc staff who served in various capacities during the general elections in March and April in Anambra.
The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Edwin Nwatarali, said this on Thursday in Awka while speaking with journalists.
Nwatarali said that the verification became imperative because the bank details submitted by some ad hoc staff did not tally with the names they used for the work.
He said the development made it impossible to pay them unless the discrepancies were rectified.
“Some ad hoc workers who were to be paid, have different bank details submitted to the commission and used different names to work; therefore, the discrepancy will not allow the commission to pay, unless it is ratified.’’
The REC said clarification on the reason for the delay in their payment became necessary due to the attitude of some of the ad hoc who besieged the commission’s office on Wednesday, demanding payment for the work they did during the last general polls.
“About 555 persons out of the 21, 000 ad hoc workers engaged for the election, besieged the commission on Wednesday, Aug. 19, claiming that they were being owed by the commission for the work done during the 2015 general polls .[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
“Out of 21 000 ad hoc workers used for the elections, if only 555 persons were being owed, it showed that some needed to be cleared before the completion of payment to the affected persons.
“Those being owed by the commission are the workers whose bank details did not tally with the names they submitted and they had since been contacted for verification before payment.”
The REC expressed displeasure over the outburst of the affected persons.
“I am shocked over the rude outburst of some persons at the commission under the guise that they were being owed by the commission.’’
Nwatarali urged any ad hoc staff claiming to be owed by the commission to complete the bank verification exercise as directed byINEC before any payment would be made to such person. (NAN)