The chairperson of the State High Election Committee in Western Bahr el Ghazal State has disclosed that they are on standby to start voter registration and sensitization but have not been availed a budget by the National Elections Commission (NEC) to commence activities.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, the state electoral chairperson, Arkangelo Udo Agany, said the exercise would have started on time if they had been given funds.
“Regarding the election process, we are prepared to conduct the elections, however, we will begin with voters’ awareness and registration upon receiving the operational budget from the National Elections Commission in Juba, as well as the necessary transportation arrangements,” he said. “Currently, we have not yet received the budget for operations, but we expect to receive it soon. As soon as we do, we will commence the awareness and registration process, as it is essential to have the budget in hand before commencing the work.”
Agany revealed that NEC has already contracted a company to start renovating the state elections commission offices.
He called on anybody or organizations that are willing to help in carrying out civic education on the elections process to first meet the state elections commission office to present their plans before moving out to the public.
“My message to the entire population of Western Bahr el Ghazal state is that we have been officially appointed in NEC and we are now ready for the public awareness campaign but all these will start when we receive the budget from the National Commission office in Juba including the mobility vehicles,” Agany stated. “Another message to the public and our partners is that if someone has got their budget or other preparations on awareness, let him report to us at the commission office before going out. We will listen to them and not prevent them but they should first report to us because our office is the one responsible for anything related to elections.”