By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) has waived the N500,000 mandatory fee it initially imposed for processing of requests for creation of new council wards with immediate effect.
The chairman of BSIEC, Dr John Chen, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
Dr Chen explained that the decision followed concerns regarding the application fee for processing requests for the creation of additional council wards after BSIEC made public its action plan between April and July, 2024.
The statement, entitled: “Waiver Of Application Fee For Creation Of Additional Council Wards,” reads:
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“The Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) acknowledges recent concerns regarding the application fee for processing requests for the creation of additional council wards. The Commission understands that the fee has been a source of public concern, and the Commission takes these concerns seriously.
“Therefore, the BSIEC is pleased to announce the waiver of the application fee for all submissions related to the creation of additional council wards. This waiver is effective immediately.
“The Commission continues to encourage interested communities desirous of additional council wards to submit their applications following the established procedures outlined in our action plan recently released to the public.
“The BSIEC remains committed to ensuring a fair and accessible process for all stakeholders involved in council ward adjustments. We believe this fee waiver will facilitate greater participation and enhance representation across Benue State.”
