By MUHAMMED S. BAH
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Banjul Office, conducted a two day step down training for 136 polling staff, on electoral proceedings.
The two day training ended on Sunday 8th April 2018, at the Gambia Senior Secondary School hall in Banjul.
The training was conducted by six Assistant Returning Officers who were trained the previous week by the IEC, on a similar topic. The participants were taken through their roles and responsibilities as polling staff, Basic Electoral Laws, setting up of polling booths among other electoral proceedings for the upcoming Local Government Elections.
Addressing polling officials, Commissioner Isatou Jallow Ndure, the IEC’s Returning Officer for Banjul Administrative area, urged polling staff to ensure a high sense of integrity and follow electoral rules in the execution of their duties on polling day.
“It is important to also take good care of electoral materials and return them to the IEC”, the Retuning Officer emphasized. Mrs. Jallow Ndure also explained the importance of the role of polling staff as the primary source of election results.
The IEC Chairman who paid a visit during the training, advised polling staff to ensure that they conduct free, fair and transparent elections. Demba Baldeh Regional IEC Officer also reiterated comments made by previous speakers and urged polling officials to come back to the IEC Regional Office in Banjul on Tuesday 10th April 2018, for the preparation of electoral materials.
The trainers were Faburama B. Jobe, Sambujang Drammeh, Abdourahman Loum, Muhammed Bah, Landing Sonko and Dembo Kuyateh.
Mariama Cham, a presiding officer and participant, thanked the IEC for the training and urged her colleagues to be committed to their work.
