Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, Chairman, Zamfara State Council of Chiefs has attributed low turnout of electorate to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and participate in Continuous Voters Registration in the state to insecurity.

Attahiru, who is the Emir of Anka, stated this at his palace, Anka, on Tuesday when he received in audience the state committee on mobilisation and awareness creation on the collection of PVCs.

The 14-man committee was led by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji.

The emir noted that insecurity situation faced by the state had resulted to underdevelopment in various sectors, including PVC registration.

“You know you cannot do anything without peace, that is why in some sectors we are lagging behind, unlike before.

“We are thanking the almighty Allah that, with the efforts of government and security agencies, the issue of insecurity is almost over in this state.

“We are now recording improvement in our activities, I am using this opportunity to call on stakeholders to cooperate with government to ensure effective peace and stability in the state,’’ he urged.

He commended the state government for setting up the committee and assured that the emirate would mobilise people who had not collected their PVCs to do so.

According to him, the traditional leaders have greater role to play in enlightening and mobilising the public, because they are closer to the people.

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He, however, urged government at all levels to always involve traditional rulers in any activities in their area.

Earlier, Rikiji said,”We are here, today, to inaugurate the committee for this exercise in Anka Local Government Area and Anka Emirate Council.

He also said the emir would lead the Anka Local Government Committee while the ward committees would be headed by the Districts Heads in their respective areas.

“Based on the record given by INEC, we are among the states with the least collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and poor in participation in the continuous voter registration in the country.

“It is worrisome that we have 60,000 unclaimed PVCs with INEC, belonging to the people of the state.

‘’In fact, from April to July, only 22 people collected their PVCs across the 14 local government areas of the state.

“That is why we involve you, the traditional rulers, considering the great role you can play in this exercise,” he said.

The committee also inaugurated the local government and emirate committees in Bukkuyum, Gummi, Bakura, Maradun and Maru Local Government Areas of the state.