Jega regrets his act

CHAIRMAN, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has declared that
his regret during his tenure was inability to create a separate salary structure for INEC workers.

  Jega also urged INEC to immediately commence planning for 2019 polls to ensure a huge success.

  Speaking at the post-2015 general elections retreat organized for electoral officers in Abuja, the INEC chairman said that INEC workers need to be paid very well considering the difficult circumstances they are subjected to during elections.

  He noted that apart from the special salary issue, the  commission helped us to have a good election in 2011 and 2015, but let us focus on what we did wrong.”

  He recognized the fact that inspite of their best effort, they have not been able to create the best and the excellent environment under which they are to conduct their jobs.

  The Chairman urged participants at the retreat to discuss measures needed to be taken to improve the electoral process as well as their welfare.

  Earlier, the Country Director, International Foundation for Election System (IFES), Mr. Shalva Kipshidze commended INEC for its success in 2015 separate elections and expressed happiness that they would help INEC build on good practices and lessons learnt to enable them have a huge successful 2019 election under his leadership.

  “I regret not implementing the special salary structure I proposed to embark upon when I resumed work as INEC Chairman and I urged the federal government to upward review the staffers salary to ensure efficient, reliable, effective and credible elections”, he stated.

  Jega said that salaries were paid regularly and that INEC under his leadership ensured that there were lots of opportunities for self improvement through organization of seminars and workshops with their partners.