The Liberian electoral body, National Elections Commission (NEC) is demanding the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to make available the additional US$1 million needed for the conduct of the Montserrado County by-elections.
The commission had earlier requested about 2.5 million United States dollars for the two by-elections in Montserrado County but only 1.5 million of the amount was paid by the government of Liberia.
According to NEC Commissioner Jonathan Weedor who is overseeing the by-elections Finance Minister Samuel Tweah informed the NEC during a meeting last week that he is working with donors to ensure that some of the balance is raised before the conduct of the by-elections.
“For the elections, we have logistical needs like vehicles, they will be used to deploy and retrieve materials from the field and all of that is included in the US$1 million that we are talking about,” Commissioner Weedor stressed.
The Chairman of the NEC, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya also told a news conference on Monday that the remaining US$1 million which would be used to pay poll workers and logistics, among others are yet to be given.
“We don’t want to think that the money will not be given because it has to be given in order to finalize the entire electoral process. So, this is not a choice, the government has to bring the money,” Cllr. Korkoya asserted.
He said about 10 thousand poll workers who would be deployed in the field are also be expected to be paid from the US$1 million remaining.
NEC has at the same time adjusted it polling procedure on the identification of voters to allow “a more open and transparent process of voter identification.”
The procedure includes the calling of names of all voters appearing at a polling place aloud. NEC stressed that the procedure will be time-consuming and it might, in some cases, lead to disagreement.
Meanwhile the NEC is cautioning the citizenry that only people who have valid registration cards from the 2017 general elections and whose names are on the final registration roll will be allowed to vote.
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