NYC trains 22 elections Observers
The National Youth Coalition has trained twenty two young people to be domestic observers for Saturday’s Multi-Tier elections in the Western Urban and Rural Areas in the country. The training was held at the Coalition’s Head Office at Fort Street in Freetown. Al-Sankoh Conteh…NYC Executive President
Speaking on the purpose of the training, the Executive Secretary of the National Youth Coalition informed participants that the Coalition is been accredited by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to observe the 2012 elections process. Ishmael Al-Sankoh Conteh noted that they want the local observers to be impartial and neutral when observing the elections in the various polling stations where they will be deployed. He cautioned the observers to be mindful of the fact that they are being trained as observers that protect the good image of the coalition, and added that they should not tarnish the good reputation of the Coalition.
Mr. Conteh further urged participants not to be partisan or practice favoritism for political parties. This, he said has the tendency of creating chaos during the election process. “You should not be seen as observers for political parties or helping one political party or individual to win,” he said, and added that they should be a brighter example as young people.
Tamba Deen Kamara is the Coalition’s Director of Electoral Process. He informed the gathering that they should obey NEC’s Electoral Code of Conducts and report occurrences accurately and correctly. He also called on them to be very attentive in their areas of responsibility in the polling stations. The domestic observers are also task with the responsibility of covering post election issues.
On Saturday 17th November 2012, Sierra Leoneans will go to the polls to elect a president, parliamentarians and local government officials. The contest that is most keenly watched and has raised the most heat is that of the presidency, which, because of its winner-takes-all character, will give the victor enormous powers to chart the country’s development path in the next five years. The youths want to see this process been done in a free, fair and transparent manner. The deployment of the domestic observers is been greeted as a positive step taken by the National Youth Coalition, which is a network movement of various youth organizations in the country that is working over the years to increasing youth potential, creativity and skills towards national development and also to transform the mentality and attitude of young people in Sierra Leone.
It can be recalled that coalition members effectively monitored the registration, exhibition and presentation of voter identification cards in Bo, Pujehun, Moyamba and the Western Area.
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