FG requests INEC’s 100 pick-up vans for contacts tracking

On Friday, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission said the Presidential Task Force had requested about 100 pick-up vans from the commission’s fleet to be deployed for contact tracing, surveillance/laboratory and infection prevention/control in six states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Mr Festus Okoye, in a statement listed some of the states as Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Kano, and Rivers.

He stated that in addition, the commission had also placed all its state offices nationwide on standby in case the PTF requested additional support to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Okoye said INEC was working with the Nigerian Communications Commission and telecommunications service providers to assist in raising public awareness about the coronavirus pandemic by sending bulk messages to registered voters in a move similar to what it does for voter mobilisation.

He said, “The PTF has requested about 100 pick-up vans from the commission’s fleet to be deployed for contact tracing, surveillance/laboratory and infection prevention/control in six states and the Federal Capital Territory, in the first instance.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has since released 100 pickup vans to be used for tracing those who might have been exposed to coronavirus.

INEC said the vehicles to be used in six states and Abuja were released upon request by the presidential task force (PTF) on combating COVID-19.