By: Abbas Usman, Bauchi
Bauchi state government has organized a one-day sensitization workshop for Local Government Information Officers to boost voter registration in the state.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Information and Communication, Usmam Shehu Usman, while declaring the workshop open at the Development Exchange Center Bauchi on Tuesday, informed that the initiative is aimed at educating the information officers on the importance of voter registration and equipping them with strategies to mobilize citizens, particularly within their various localities to participate actively in the process.
Usmam Shehu emphasized the need for the citizens to register and participate in the electoral process for development of their areas.
He unfolded that, Bauchi state government, in collaboration with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and National Orientation Agency (NOA), is collaborating to mobilize, strengthen awareness and education on voter registration, with INEC providing registration points in all LGAs.
The Commissioner commended and appreciated the people oriented governor, senator Bala Mohammed for his moral and financial support by approving and bankrolling the workshop, among other initiatives of the ministry for the betterment of the citizens, describing voter registration as a fundamental step in solidifying Democratic governance.
Hon. Shehu stressed that voter registration made citizens become bonafide voters and by extension, key stakeholders in selecting leaders at all levels of government.
He commended the INEC for the ongoing registration exercise, providing every LGA with specific registration points.
The Commissioner expressed concerns that Bauchi being one of the most populous States in Nigeria, is always recording very poor voters turn out despite having a good number of registered voters.
“It is a great source of concern to see that only less than fifty percent of our registered voters used to show up during election”, the commissioner said.
He urged the participants to listen carefully and make proper use of what they have learned to mobilize and educate the targeted people in their various LGA’s as information officers responsible for dissemination of government policies and programs for development.
The Commissioner commended Alhaji Nasiru Mahe, State Director of (NOA) and Dr. Yusuf Musa Yahaya, of Sa’adu Zungur University Bauchi, for the presentation of the two important and educative papers, tittled “voter Participation Towards National Development” and Voter Apathy: its implications to National Development respectively.
The representative of the state 20 LGA’s
Danladi Abdul Baza, information officer Darazo LGA, commended the state Commissioner of Information for organizing such an important events, that this is the first of it kind in history for Commissioner of Information in the state to bring together information officers in the LGA’s to be trained and involved them in propagating government policies and programs.
He assured that they will justify the confidence reposed in them by educating and mobilizing people in their various localities on the importance of voter registration.
