By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
Ahead of the 2020 Senatorial midterm election in the Country, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has dedicated some newly renovated NEC facilities in Kakata City, Margibi County.
The facilities include generator room, a newly constructed fence around the magisterial office, hand pump and storage facility.
UNDP Resident Representative in Liberia, Pa Lamin Beyai was speaking at program marking the turning over ceremony of the facilities in Kakata on Monday August 3, 2020.
The UNDP Resident Representative said the project is intended to provide the needed security for the commission through the provision of better storage facility (warehouse) for electoral materials and to ensure that NEC has space without intimidation and hostility.
The commission was requesting for fence and generator house.
He said through the project, UNDP has installed solar energy in all the magisterial offices in Liberia and at the same time added a generator house as a backup.
According to him, UNDP and partners including Sweden, Ireland, the European Union, Canada, and at some point Germany and Japan through the “Support to Electoral Cycle Project that started in 2015.’’
He spoke of the longstanding partnership with the Government of Liberia (GoL) through the National Elections Commission (NEC), to consolidate Liberia’s democracy through credible and inclusive elections.
He said the current project, after extension, will finally end in the coming weeks. One of the last project activities he said includes the rehabilitation of 12 NEC Magisterial Warehouses, and construction of fences and generator rooms.
He narrated that the project had faced several COVID 19 related challenges including lockdown and travel bans.
But with the understanding of the partners, we were able to find a way of working with the contractors to completion. We are grateful to Vacce General Constructions and the International Consultant for delivering on time,” Mr. Bayai said.
After five years of the current election project, UNDP and partners have commenced work on the successor project, envisaged to support Liberia from 2020- 2024.
He said it is our hope that such a facility will contribute to the conduct of credible, transparent, and inclusive elections through safekeeping and protection of key electoral materials.
In a related development, the UNDP Resident Representative says the successful conduct of the Mid-Term Senatorial Elections and National Referendum are critical to ensuring public trust in future elections and mobilizing international partnerships.
He stated that while NEC may be the anchor, they cannot do it alone without the concerted efforts of all stakeholders including Government, Partners, CSOs, Community Based Organizations, Political Parties, other stakeholders, and more importantly, the Liberian people.
Mr. Beyai said the focus of everyone should be on the peaceful elections before, during and after, something he said is necessary for any credible elections.
He said NEC should work with all electoral stakeholders to ensure peaceful electoral process in accordance with the 2017 Ganta Declaration and Farmington Declarations.
Mr. Beyai indicated that enhanced awareness and voter education are critical to ensuring that voters, especially first time-voters and women exercise their rights to vote.
He said women participation and timely engagement of political parties to consider female candidates will help to improve female membership of the Liberian Senate.
Mr. Beyai intoned that funding in the midst of competing demands for resources during the global coronavirus pandemic, a cost-effective approach to the electoral process and government’s funding commitments are necessary to attract support from partners.
He explained that efficiency savings through secure storage of the electoral materials, together with proper maintenance regime, and a well-monitored asset register can decrease the costs of the electoral process.
“We encourage NEC to open discussions with relevant government agencies, and other stakeholders on decreasing the cost of elections; and effectively utilizing existing assets,” he said.