February 13, (THEWILL) – For the successful conduct of the 2023 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Maritime Workers Union of (MWUN), have entered into a partnership, particularly in areas of movement of materials across the littoral states.
Recently, a team of INEC led by Prof Bolade Eyinla, technical adviser to INEC Chairman, Prof Yakub Mahmood, recently met with the leadership of the Maritime Workers Union of (MWUN), at the Union Secretariat in Apapa, Lagos to finalise modalities on how to implement the principles of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both bodies on the movement of electoral materials to the seventeen littoral states of the federation.
Part of the terms of the MoU is that the services of MWUN will be before, during and after elections billed for February 25 and March 11, 2023.
According to Eyinla, the commission will provide over three thousand boats, life jackets, and security personnel amongst other sensitive logistics for ease of operation.
“The Union personnel will be expected to carry election materials from the points of loading to the points of discharge within the riverine areas and communities. INEC will provide over 300 boats to the littoral states and will deploy 900 watercraft to Bayelsa state, while Lagos and Rivers states respectively will receive 400 boats each. Others are Ogun, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Benue, Delta, Ondi, and Imo, et al”, Eyinla noted.
In response, the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria MWUN, Comrade (Prince) Adewale promised to keep his stance regarding the MoU.
Comrade Adewale also assured that his union is equal to the task ahead for this assignment, which he said is aimed at promoting national interest.
“The Union will give her maximum support to the success of this national exercise as injury to one is an injury to all, noting that the monetary benefit is not the major focus of the union but our input of patriotism”, the newly elected Deputy President of the NLC posited.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
