The Osun State Government has declared Monday, April 16, a Work Free Day for the formal and informal workers of the state.
It was gathered that the essence of the public holiday is to provide opportunity for eligible voters to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise by registering with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and as well collect their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) for them to be able to perform their civic responsibility future elections.
Voter Registration and collection of permanent Voters card (PVC) are important and strategic to electoral process and has capability of strengthening democratic governance. Voter registration helps to facilitate the credibility of the electoral process and democratic governance and that is why the government found it imperative to create ample opportunity by declaring Monday a work-free day which is the last day for the eligible voters to register.
Thus, government passionately urge the people to go out and register in the remaining days, while those who have lost or defaced their cards can register afresh but should guard against registering twice as each person is only allowed to register once.
The Continuous Voter Registration had started on Wednesday, April 11 and will end on Monday, April 16.
Since the continuous voter’s registration (CRV) is periodic, the government of the state of Osun, therefore, considers it as imperative to dedicate a day for fresh potential voters to register for their voter card and for those that had registered to collect their PVC to enable them to exercise their franchise on election day.
All residents of the state who are 18 years and above and are enjoined to go to the nearest registration centre in their areas to register their names for the voter card.
A voter that has left him or former residential area should approach INEC office in his or her new area for transfer of voter card to enable him or her vote in the new residing area.
The government urges stakeholders: political, community and religious leaders, Non-Governmental Organisation, political and pressure groups to sensitise other people on the need to register for voter card and collect their PVC.