Why funding of INEC with TSA is a bad idea – Prof Jega

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, opines that the proposed plan to fund the electoral body through the Treasury Single Account, is not advisable.

According to Jega, the effectiveness and promptness of the electoral process would be impaired if the commission has to wait for funds from TSA before carrying out any activity.

Jega said this on Tuesday, while delivering a keynote address at the 2015 e-Nigeria Conference, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency.

He said: “To a large extent, effectiveness of electoral processes is conditional on availability of financial resources to deliver efficient services consistent with international minimum benchmarks and global best practices.

“Electoral processes cannot be effective if an election management body is starved of funds and/or has to go cap-in-hand to an incumbent executive begging for funds before it can conduct an election.

“The financial autonomy of INEC needs to be strengthened. It should continue to be on the first line charge and have all its funds released through the statutory transfer fund as appropriated by the National Assembly.

“Subjecting an electoral commission to the so-called Single Treasury Account, I believe, is a recipe for disaster.”

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