The Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared a four-day work-free day for public servants to enable them collect their Permanent Voter Cards at their respective local government/local council development areas in the state.
This was confirmed in a circular released on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
He explained that the work-free day would commence on Tuesday, January 24, and end on Friday, January 27, 2023, for different grade levels of workers in the public service.
Muri-Okunola said, “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 dates include 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.
Muri-Okunola said enjoined accounting officers to excuse their officers in respective grade levels on the designated days.
“Consequently, accounting officers and all public servants are to ensure compliance whilst giving this circular the service-wide publicity it deserves,” he said.
It was earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to Sunday, January 29, 2023.
The electoral umpire earlier who had earlier fixed Sunday, 22nd January 2023 as the collection deadline, announced the extension on Thursday, January 12, 2023, in a statement issued by the INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye.
He said; “The Commission is determined to ensure that registered voters have ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the forthcoming election. For this reason, the timeframe for the collection of PVCs is extended by eight days.
“Instead of ending on Sunday 22nd January 2023, the collection of PVCs will continue until Sunday 29th January 2023. At the moment, the period of collection is 9.00 am – 3.00 pm daily (including Saturdays and Sundays).”
