ELECAM expresses satisfaction over increase in voter registration.

He was speaking at the start of Third Ordinary Session of the Electoral Board for the year 2024. The meeting took place in Yaounde, Thursday. 

The session was devoted to reviewing the quarterly performance of the institution.

Dr Enow Abrams in his opening speech said the initial target of getting 650,000 potential voters enrol on the electoral register was exceeded. He said rather, 755,085 new voters were enrolled.

This, he said, brought the total potential voters enrolled to 8,116,960, including 27,767 in the diaspora.

The said trend, Dr Enow Abrams said, does not only reflect the genuine civic will of Cameroonians to register en masse and genuinely take active part in the democratic process, but also highlights the need to step up their efforts.

Staff commitment and resilience recognised

Acknowledging the dedication of ELECAM staff, the chairperson praised their resilience, particularly those working in the field. 

He highlighted the efforts made under the leadership of the Director General of Elections at ELECAM to implement a comprehensive staff development plan. 

The plan, he said, has been instrumental in empowering the staff to achieve the impressive voter registration figures and to manage the operational demands of the electoral process.

The chairperson expressed gratitude to the entire ELECAM team, noting that their hard work has laid the foundation for the success of the upcoming elections.

He hinted on the possible improvements in working conditions and remuneration for ELECAM staff.

He, however, noted that if approved, the said changes could take effect from January 2025, providing additional motivation and support for the staff as they prepare for the elections.

Dr Enow Abrams equally reminded the board that the upcoming elections would test the maturity of the nation’s democracy, as well as the commitment of its citizens to unity, peace, and stability.

“As far as the skills development plan is concerned, and rightly so, employees have already benefited, to date, from a series of internal and external training courses in fields as varied as preventive maintenance, primary and secondary of biometric equipment, cyber security and the management of digital platforms, contemporary tools for budgetary transparency, as well as effective techniques and means of preserving administrative documents; which, to date, represents a rate of 70% of training courses completed by 2024,” Dr Enow Abrams said.

He noted that building the capacity of staff is one of their core concerns with focus on the practical aspects and steps involved in the operational management of a direct universal suffrage election.

“On the eve of important elections, these initiatives are essentially aimed at ensuring that our already well-equipped staff are better motivated and prepared for the presidential, legislative and municipal elections,” he underscored.

Strengthening institutional cooperation

According to Dr Enow Abrams, in addition to internal improvements, ELECAM has also been working to strengthen its institutional partnerships.

He used the opportunity to cite among others, the recent visit of a United Nations assessment mission, which he said was aimed identifying areas where technical assistance could be provided to support the upcoming elections.

The said mission, he explained, was a significant step toward ensuring that ELECAM has the necessary resources and expertise to manage the 2025 elections effectively.

He also noted that ELECAM has been sharing its electoral expertise with international partners like the visit of a delegation from Chadian National Elections Management Agency.

The delegation, he said, came to Cameroon to learn from ELECAM’s experiences in organising elections. 

The said cooperation, he noted, is an example of the growing collaboration between African nations to promote democratic governance.

The chairperson emphasised that the role of the Electoral Board goes beyond merely organising elections. ELECAM, he said, is a catalyst for peace and national cohesion, working to uphold the core values of the republic. 

As such, he urged board members to prioritise the public interest and to approach their duties with a sense of service to the nation.

The chairperson in his closing remark, called on all members of the Electoral Board, the Director General of Elections, partners, and the media to remain committed to their shared goal of upholding democracy in Cameroon. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3242 of Friday September 27, 2024