Ahead of the February 25 and March 11 general elections, Borno and Lagos States have announced work-free eight days and four days.
While Borno declared an eight-day holiday for upcoming elections, Lagos announced a work-free four days for all its workers including schools to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
Persecondnews reports that in Borno, the Ministry of Education announced the holidays in a statement in Maiduguri, the capital.
The holiday is scheduled from Thursday, February 23 to Wednesday, March 1, 2023, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as Thursday March 9 to Wednesday March 15, 2023 for governorship and state assembly elections.
The circular states: “I am directed to release an addendum to the 2022/2023 school calendar by declaring eight-day holidays during the forthcoming 2023 general elections to enable staff and eligible students exercise their civic rights and allow for the usage of schools as collation centres.
“The eight days holiday is slated between Thursday, February 23 to Wednesday, March 1, 2023 for presidential and national assembly elections and Thursday March 9 to Wednesday March 15, 2023 for governorship and state Assembly elections.”
In Lagos State, the government has directed workers to stay off work for four days to enable them to get their PVCs.
The Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, said the work-free days will commence from Tuesday, January 24 to Friday, January 27, 2023.
“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 Centers are encouraged to do so before Sunday, January 29, 2023, as it is a civic responsibility to vote.
“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 areas as presented in the table below.
“The date schedule goes thus, Tuesday, January 24, 2023, for grade levels 01, 03, 07 and 15; Wednesday, January 25, 2023, for grade levels 02, 04, 08 and 13; Thursday, January 26, 2023, for grade levels 05, 09, 12, and 17; and Friday, January 27, 2023, for grade levels 06, 10, 14 and 16.
“Consequently, accounting officers and all public servants are to ensure compliance whilst giving this circular the service-wide publicity it deserves,” he said in a statement given to Persecondnews at the State Government Secretariat, Alausa in Ikeja.
