The Lagos State Government has commenced four work-free days to enable the state civil servants to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).
The State Head of Service (HoS), Hakeem Muri-Okunola, said the four work-free days are designated for different grade levels of working in the public services and will commence on Tuesday, January 24, and end on Friday, January 27.
Muri-Okunola disclosed that governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu “graciously approved the work-free day” to enable government workers to collect their PVCs from their local government areas
He added that the public servants had been scheduled to pick up their PVCs on designated days according to grade levels.
“Consequent upon the extension of the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards by the Independent National Electoral Commission, it is hereby notified for the general information that all public servants who are yet to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards from designated INEC Centres are encouraged to do so before Sunday, January 29, 2023, as it is a civic responsibility to vote,” Muri-Okunola said.
“To this end, Mr. Governor has graciously approved a work-free day to enable public servants to collect their PVCs from their respective local government/local council development area.”
INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye recently extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) nationwide to ensure that every registered voter has ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the forthcoming elections.
According to Muri-Okunola, civil servants in levels 01, 03, 07, and 15 are expected to pick up their PVC on Tuesday, while those in levels 02, 04, 08, and 13 are permitted to do so on Wednesday; levels 05, 09, 12, and 17 will receive theirs on Thursday; and levels 06, 10, 14, and 16 will receive theirs on Friday.
The governments of Ogun, Ondo, and Ekiti states had also declared work-free days for public workers in their representative states to go collect their PVC.
The Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, in a statement enjoined all executives of public markets and private establishments in the state to allow flexibility in their schedules for residents to use the opportunity to visit INEC offices or collection centers where they registered to collect their PVCs.
Abiodun added that voting is a civic responsibility and all eligible citizens must be allowed to exercise their rights to choose who governs them.
Also, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State said the work-free day would avail those yet to collect their PVCs to go and collect them at INEC offices at local government secretariats.
Akeredolu, however, urged civil servants, private sector workers, artisans, and other potential voters to seize the opportunity to collect the PVCs to be able to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming elections.
Also in Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji said the work-free day was to enable eligible voters to collect their voter cards at the INEC-designated centers.
The governor urged all eligible voters in the state “to take advantage of the holiday and collect their PVC, which is their license to participate in the forthcoming general election.”
