INEC Staff Least Paid in Nigeria, says Amupitan

Josh Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission’s staff are the least paid in Nigeria.

Amupitan spoke on Tuesday at a press conference and national stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja

He said the commission had taken “radical steps” to improve the welfare of its personnel, including removing them from the civil service salary structure.

“INEC staff is the least paid in Nigeria. So, we felt if we want to demand and hold our staff responsible, we should give them a living wage,” he said.

“And that is why we have taken some very radical steps to ensure that the welfare of INEC staff is prioritised.

Amupitan said INEC have been removed from the civil service payment structure to allow the commission to operate under a separate electoral and salary structure.

He noted the move was part of efforts to address gaps identified within the commission and improve the electoral system.

“We are not called civil servants. What we have learnt under the civil service payment structure, which we have just removed INEC from, is to have their own separate structure, electoral structure, and separate salary structure from the civil service,” Amupitan said.

“So, those are some of the gaps. There are many others that we have discovered. And we felt that if they address them, it will be able to solve some of the problems we have with the system.”

On rerun elections, Amupitan said the process is a constitutional requirement that must be factored into election planning.

“The issue of rerun is a constitutional matter. And as we are planning for the election, you have to plan for rerun,” he said.

“So, it’s there, the procedure, the protocol, everything is there in the constitution.”