TSA will spell disaster for INEC, says Jega

Subjecting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Treasury Single Account (TSA) will spell disaster for the electoral body, its former chairman Professor Attahiru Jega has said.
Prof Jega said yesterday in Abuja that electoral processes could not be effective if INEC is starved of funds or go cap in hand to an executive begging for funds before it can conduct an election.
“Subjecting an electoral Commission to the so-called single treasury account, I believe, is a recipe for disaster,” the former INEC boss said in a keynote address at the ongoing eNigeria Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.
He said rather than subjecting INEC to TSA, the federal government should strengthen the financial autonomy of INEC.
Professor Jega further noted that the effectiveness of electoral processes is conditional on availability of financial resources to deliver efficient services consistent with international minimum benchmarks and global best practices.
On this use of technology in the conduct of election, the former INEC chief said the increasing use of adaptable technology in carefully selected areas will go a long way to ensure transparency and effectiveness of the electoral processes.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his remarks promised Nigeria will improve the use of technology in conducting the 2019 elections.
Represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Ade Ipaye, Vice President Osinbajo said the present administration would make ICT the bedrock of Nigeria’s development.
The minister of communication technology, Barrister Adebayo Shittu said the eNigeria conference is expected to develop control mechanisms for the protection of indigenous ICT local content that support credible and acceptable electoral processes.