ANSIEC: IS THIS FRAUD OR WHAT?

Several months after working at the January 11th, 2014 Anambra State Local Government Election, the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) finally agrees to pay, but what we are receiving cannot be termed “payment” but rather “penury” as the poor indigenes who participated in the election exercise with hopes of using the money to solve one or two financial problem are now heartbroken by the monetary injustice meted out to them by ANSIEC Acting Chairman (Hon. Sylvester Okonkwo).

During the training for the election, we were informed that we will be paid ₦4000 (four thousand naira) as training allowance before we even go into the field, after which we will be paid additional ₦10,000 for Poll Clerks (PCs), ₦15,000 for Presiding Officers (POs), ₦25,000 for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) and ₦35,000 for the Ward Returning Officers (WROs); as the actual wage for participating as adhoc staff in the election. All these as we later discovered was all political fraud by the ANSIEC Chairman and his clique. Now, seven (7) months after frequenting the ANSIEC office by some of us for our money, he finally decides to pay us the change he remained from squandering our money.

Mr. Chairman Sir, please clarify to us if the ₦5000, ₦8000, ₦10,000 and ₦15,000 you are currently handing out to PCs, POs, SPOs, and WROs respectively is the part payment for the training allowance and election work or is it the actual total sum due to us for the work done. Also, please tell us why it took you this long to pay us and when you will refund us the remainder of our money.

The good Government of Anambra State and the General Public, please take note so as to ensure that the transparency and honesty in government that we preach about is practiced. This is because I don’t see why the efforts of youths who are trying to earn honest income in order to help themselves rather than indulging in crime should not be encouraged through prompt, accurate and adequate payment for work done. So, we are using this medium to appeal to you to pay us our full wage, as “a worker is worthy of his wages.”

Thank You.

Yours’ Faithfully,

Okeke, Chidinma.