http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/jan/18/national-18-01-2011-03.htm

Corps members disappointed us – INEC
From FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja
Tuesday, January 18, 2011



Photo: Sun News Publishing
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As the voters’ registration continued on its fumbling note into day three yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), attributed the inefficiency to low knowledge of the corps members who were deployed as registration officers. The Commission, while apologising to members of the public for the delay and general inadequacies attending the exercise across the federation, said “we are sorry but we will continue to improve.”

Featuring on a political programme, “Focus Nigeria”, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Publicity, Prince Solomon Soyebi, lamented that the commission was not happy with the development but explained that the commission took it for granted that the corps members would know the basic operations of a computer, a belief, he said, turned out to be misplaced.

“
We assumed that these corps members should know how to operate a simple machine like the DDC machine in addition to the training they had but unfortunately, they disappointed us. We discovered they could not and many of them had to be battling with it unsuccessfully.

“These are graduates and we never expected it that any of them won’t be able to handle a computer but the reality was such that majority of them couldn’t and we had to shuffle them,” Soyebi added.
He also admitted that the upfront allowance the corps members were to be paid before the start of the exercise could not be paid due to tedious banking process, a development which also made the process of registration slow as many of them had nothing to eat during the exercise.

Soyebi, however, assured that the process would improve as the registration officers got used to the operation of the machines, adding that officials of the commission would be on hand to offer assistance to the registration officers to reduce the hiccups.
He also promised that the process of payment of the first installment of the corps members’ allowances would be fast tracked while other logistics would also be looked into with a view to addressing all observed lapses.

Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, has urged the people to exercise patience with it saying the noticed initial inefficiencies would soon give way.
He urged prospective voters to go to the nearest units to them, and wait patiently for their turn but could leave and come back if they experienced delay since the exercise would last for two weeks.
Jega who spoke in Abuja, however, called on voters not to wait till the tail end of the registration to avoid rush.

Absolute rubbish. Did they train them properly? were the machines easy to operate? were they fit for purpose. This is just plain nonsese, because the writing was on the wall weeks before, but stupid INEC failed to see anything.

In my opinion, lack of proper planning, and the use of the wrong equipment is to blame, not the poor corpers.

Is this an indictment of level of incompetency of Nigerian graduates?   so facebook and yahoo proficiency do not necessarily equal to computer literacy,  

No this is INEC failing to own up to the rubbish plan they had.

How much training was given? how easy is it to operate these machines? are they the right machines for the job? Big questions that INEC should answer, instead of blaming corpers

inec should please shut up

i thought they were trained for some days or so ?

INEC should learn to accept blame. They total phucked up on this one. 87 billion Naira, and you get this crap. It is only Nigeria you get this sort of thing, anywhere else, head would role. Sack, sack, sack

Is   INEC   trying   to   say  majority   of   corps   in   abj   cant   use   a   computer?   Does   that   make   sense   at   all,   INEC   should   shu-tup   and   accept   their   fault. If   INEC   staffs   were   good  enough  to  use   computers   why   employ   corps  members  todo   their   job  for  them?   I  work   in  an  I.T  firm  here  in  abuja  where  I  was  retained  after service  year,  I  noticed   80perscent of  workers  in  government  office  cant  use thier own  computers.  Some  dont  even  need  it self just to  of play  Zuma,  check  fcbk, watch home videos  and even eat  food  on  their CPU  during working  hours.
The other day I had a complain from a client, it tool me 2hours driver to get there just to findout that the computer was not even plug into and turned. Yet she called and lamented on my Boss, almost got a query from my boss that day.

It is true that INEC should accept the blame. However inability of those supposedly modern day graduates to have quick grasp of those machine should be blamed on all of us. If Nigerian University graduates do not have edge over non educated person, it is a gap that a right thinking government should use to access and correct our education system.
Obviously, INEC has overrated our fresh graduates.

So what's going to be the solution? Can members of the public come in to assist? Or do they intend to extend the registration period by a week or two for the Corpers to get a good knowledge of how these machines operate?

is jega not a university lecturer?

can he tell us how many computers there are in abu?

how a nigerian lecturer, who is probably a computer illiterate himself can expect basic nigerian graduates to be computer literate is beyond me

sochan:

Absolute rubbish. Did they train them properly? were the machines easy to operate? were they fit for purpose. This is just plain nonsese, because the writing was on the wall weeks before, but silly INEC failed to see anything.

In my opinion, lack of proper planning, and the use of the wrong equipment is to blame, not the poor corpers.

WTF do you mean by 'were they easy to operate'? The so-called 'machine' is a LAPTOP. Why should any graduate need more than 10 minutes of training to become used to a mere data entry software layer running on Windows XP or Vista?

A HUGE number of corps members serving are dumbasses who cannot use a computer properly. I find INEC's position perfectly understandable.

oyb:

how a nigerian lecturer, who is probably a computer illiterate himself can expect basic nigerian graduates to be computer literate is beyond me

Why shouldn't he have that expectation? Why should any graduate not be computer literate?

Same as post below

INEC is funny sha.

So corpers are to blame for malfunctioning printers, faulty finger print scanners and no power to plug and charge the laptops?

But truly, some corpers are dull and shouldn't have been co-opted into the exercise. The one on my street is probably new to a pc cos she still searches for letters on the keyboard and dey count finger type hence it takes a long time for her to register someone.

Apart from that she dey try

texazzpete:

WTF do you mean by 'were they easy to operate'? The so-called 'machine' is a LAPTOP. Why should any graduate need more than 10 minutes of training to become used to a mere data entry software layer running on Windows XP or Vista?

A HUGE number of corps members serving are dumbasses who cannot use a computer properly. I find INEC's position perfectly understandable.

Why shouldn't he have that expectation? Why should any graduate not be computer literate?

You are assuming that things are straightforward. We have heard of the devices not functioning properly.

No matter how well clued up you are with Information technology, a badly setup system will always pose challeneges.

Sorry, I am on the side of the corpers on this one. Once again Inec has not planned properly.

texazzpete:

WTF do you mean by 'were they easy to operate'? The so-called 'machine' is a LAPTOP. Why should any graduate need more than 10 minutes of training to become used to a mere data entry software layer running on Windows XP or Vista?

A HUGE number of corps members serving are dumbasses who cannot use a computer properly. I find INEC's position perfectly understandable.

Why shouldn't he have that expectation? Why should any graduate not be computer literate?

texxa,have u 4gotten how things r done in this country?did u expect Inec 2 come out boldly and tell us its all their fault?Aren't these d same grads who work in banks and operate computers?Haba nigerians including our grads r not dat dull and dumb.Inec is just trying 2 cover our eyes with dust.

The reality is that how many graduates can confidently operate computer?? most of the lecturers in nigerian universities still struggle with yahoo email address and  what not.

Engineering ph.d holder cant even use any computer aids to design and stimulate system

architects at master's level are still thought using paper, pencil and set square.

THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS FAILD.


. .  ,   . . .  . . SOME NIGERIAN GRADUTE WILL FOR EVER DISAPPOINT ANYONE THAT PUTS HIS TRUST ON THEM

semid4lyfe:

INEC is funny sha.

So corpers are to blame for malfunctioning printers, faulty finger print scanners and no power to plug and charge the laptops?

But truly, some corpers are dull and shouldn't have been co-opted into the exercise. The one on my street is probably new to a pc cos she still searches for letters on the keyboard and dey count finger type hence it takes a long time for her to register someone.

Apart from that she dey try

still consider the facts that INEC are not even using merits in recruiting the best that can handle those system with experience. . . in late fela's word [size=22pt]double wahala for deadi body and the owner of deadi body[/size]

Please, let us all calm down.
We obviously have problems and we need to maintain sanity if we want solutions.

Who is INEC? They are Nigerians and individuals: a tree cannot make a forest.
They have to work with people like the NYSC, but we all must accept the fact that the graduates of today cannot be compared with those of yesterday.

My younger Sister told me of how all the graduates from a particular institution was ejected from the camp because most of them were struggling to fill some forms.

Nigeria's problem is deep rooted and it cannot disappear over night. The problem did not spring forht over night either. We are reaping the "dividends" of destroyed family and societal values. This is the evidence of what happens to a nation when officers entrusted to maintain peace turn around with the power of guns, seize government and discard the laws of the land.

We became a nation of anything goes. A lawless society where a lecturer can be flogged by soldiers because he dared to say no to discipline a student. We reaping the (mis)rule of the Buhari, the IBB, the Abacha, the Abubukar days. Take it or leave it, until we go back to respect the laws our land and the laws of God, this will be the beginning. I am wondering what will become of our Universities in 50 years time, when all these "illitrate" graduates will become our proffesors.
For now, I just think we should all see what we can do to salvage the situation by at least being patient and register. the coming elections  are very very crucial.

Padi Padi Arrangement. 

This is why i say it is business as usual for the corrupt elites under a government of GEJ  - The man has no balls.

In the whole of Nigeria we cant find someone that would write a data entry software that captures basic details and a photo.

I am sure i can come up with crude microsoft access application in under 30 mins.

WHen i first heard of 87billion for ddc machines i initially thought it was some sophicated product and was so shocked to

see a

fuking Laptop, printer and webcam  .

I dont blame the graduate  it is a chicken before egg situation . How can one learn how to use a computer when you weren't trained with one.

blacksta:

Padi Padi Arrangement. 

This is why i say it is business as usual for the corrupt elites under a government of GEJ  - The man has no balls.

In the whole of Nigeria we cant find someone that would write a data entry software that captures basic details and a photo.

I am sure i can come up with crude microsoft access application in under 30 mins.

WHen i first heard of 87billion for ddc machines i initially thought it was some sophicated product and was so shocked to

see a

fuking Laptop, printer and webcam  .

I dont blame the graduate  it is a chicken before egg situation . How can one learn how to use a computer when you weren't trained with one.

I agree. In fact, i don't expect the data entry software to be too sophisticated. however INEC's position is that many of the corps members struggle to use the computer on a basic level.

another problem may be with the drivers installed for the fingerprint scanners. The scanners themselves should be reasonably ok so perhaps it's a sensitivity and software issue.

texazzpete:

WTF do you mean by 'were they easy to operate'? The so-called 'machine' is a LAPTOP. Why should any graduate need more than 10 minutes of training to become used to a mere data entry software layer running on Windows XP or Vista?

A HUGE number of corps members serving are dumbasses who cannot use a computer properly. I find INEC's position perfectly understandable.

Why shouldn't he have that expectation? Why should any graduate not be computer literate?

What the hell do you mean? How many Universities have a computer. If not for these private Universities, most federal and state universities have none. Even my friend who read computer science was finding it difficult to put off my laptop because most Computer Science departments can't posses a computer. So what do u expect?

Useless machine + dull corpers = delayed registration!

I am definitely sure the yahooo boys can operate the machine better, they will even download additional files to make it work perfectly,

How many graduates are used to computer while in school?

You didn`t pay them yet still you want them to perform excellently with hungry stomach.


This Government Self, They just dey look left and right with no where to go.

There will always be a place to put the blame.

I am waiting to know where they will put the blame of failed next election.

maybe the blame will go to PHCN,because their machine won`t be charge by then.

i need some greeeenn meeeen

Absolute rubbish. Did they train them properly? were the machines easy to operate? were they fit for purpose. This is just plain nonsese, because the writing was on the wall weeks before, but silly INEC failed to see anything.

In my opinion, lack of proper planning, and the use of the wrong equipment is to blame, not the poor corpers.

Are you by any means saying it's too much of a high expectation for graduates to be able to operate a damn laptop?. . . for sam's sake, it's just a damn laptop, how the hell did this people complete their final year projects without using one?

and people complain of high unemployment rates? Naija is phucked!. . .

Generation phucked!

violent:


Are you by any means saying it's too much of a high expectation for graduates to be able to operate a damn laptop?. . . for sam's sake, it's just a damn laptop, how the hell did this people complete their final year projects without using

They did using what we call Business Center.

Meldrick:

What the hell do you mean? How many Universities have a computer. If not for these private Universities, most federal and state universities have none. Even my friend who read computer science was finding it difficult to put off my laptop because most Computer Science departments can't posses a computer. So what do u expect?

Silly damn silly mentality!. .

This is what happens when people don't have anyone to blame for their inefficiencies, the government is the easiest and most convenient enemy! . . .how about you take a larger share of the responsibility, No?

For crying out loud, there are cyber cafes littered all around costing just a little over 100 naira an hour, there are independent computer classes that cost less that 3000 naira a month, what you need sir, is initiative!. . . . it's shameful that even my 68 year old neighbor knows how to do common things on the computer, although he never had access to one as a student.  

Face it, Nigerian students are too sluggish and lazy. . .all they think about is how to get rich overnight, no one bothers to actually learn!

My younger Sister told me of how all the graduates from a particular institution was ejected from the camp because most of them were struggling to fill some forms.

I curse institutions that produced such students, the leadership of NUC has failed miserably!

Chase the Hooligans-in-Power (HiPs) out and vote in better candidates.

Remember to RSVP -

Register;
Select and sponsor(your candidates);
Vote;
Protect your votes;

Let this be our motto for this election period.
Copy and text the motto to as many as possible on your GSM (and/or email) and several times during the voter registration period.
One Man, One Vote!!!

Meldrick:

What the hell do you mean? How many Universities have a computer. If not for these private Universities, most federal and state universities have none. Even my friend who read computer science was finding it difficult to put off my laptop because most Computer Science departments can't posses a computer. So what do u expect?

The Nigerian education system for all to see!

So now this is INEC's fault? You'd be amazed about the quality of some of our university graduates if you took a closer look at them. We have
ourselves to blame in this. As someone pointed out earlier; faulty equipment and dull corpers makes for an inefficient registration process.

violent:

Silly damn silly mentality!. .

This is what happens when people don't have anyone to blame for their inefficiencies, the government is the easiest and most convenient enemy! . . .how about you take a larger share of the responsibility, No?

For crying out loud, there are cyber cafes littered all around costing just a little over 100 naira an hour, there are independent computer classes that cost less that 3000 naira a month, what you need sir, is initiative!. . . . it's shameful that even my 68 year old neighbor knows how to do common things on the computer, although he never had access to one as a student.  

Face it, Nigerian students are too sluggish and lazy. . .all they think about is how to get rich overnight, no one bothers to actually learn!

Very myopic and shallow mentality.
The students are only products of their environment. Must you depend on Cyber Cafe to get equipped with the knowledge you desire as a Computer Science student. There certainly would have been no need to write JAMB, gain admission into the University to study Computer Science if you say going to the Cyber Cafe is a better alternative.

The students are products of their environment. The government has failed. Don't expect anything better. After years in the University, most of these students never had a practical example and you say you have a good government. That you can afford 3,000 does not mean everyone can afford it. Who does not desire to be rich overnight including you? It is never bad to dream. Stop claiming Mr. Righteous

This is an indicment on the Nigerian federal government and the educational system in the country. It's an established fact that the government has failed miserably in providing education for her citizens; so, I don't see why anybody should be blaming the "graduates" who cannot operate computers. The blame lies squarely with the federal government. Let nobody lose sight of that.

Bawss1:

The Nigerian education system for all to see!

So now this is INEC's fault? You'd be amazed about the quality of some of our university graduates if you took a closer look at them. We have
ourselves to blame in this.  As someone pointed out earlier; faulty equipment and dull corpers makes for an inefficient registration process.

We all know the education system has failed. but with respect to this issue INEC has all the blame, they should have done a screening exercise for the corpers. you can't just employ some one because he is a graduate. Even graduates with 1st class still go through lots of screening before they are employed.