The Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), Mohammed Konneh, has issued a crucial statement addressing the ongoing delay in the payment of polling staff wages.
Konneh’s statement was delivered via an online audio broadcast and has garnered widespread attention.
In his message, Konneh began by expressing gratitude to Ward Coordinators for their dedication during the June 23 Elections, acknowledging their pivotal role in maintaining peace and transparency throughout the process.
He highlighted the successful collaboration between the ECSL and the coordinators for various election-related tasks.
However, Konneh revealed that the responsibility for polling staff payments rests with the UNDP, a multilateral fund. Originally, the plan was to facilitate online mobile payments, but the UNDP introduced verification requirements, leading to the implementation of a mobile verification system. Despite verifying over 8,000 individuals, approximately 1,000 remain unverified, causing a delay in payments.
To expedite the verification process, teams were dispatched to work closely with Ward Coordinators, urging them to communicate this crucial information to polling staff. Konneh expressed dissatisfaction with some Ward Coordinators, accusing them of intentionally obstructing the verification process.
While their contracts had been extended, Konneh warned that this could be the last opportunity for polling staff to receive their payments.
Additionally, Konneh stated that the Commission has identified those responsible for disruptions, emphasizing their awareness of the culprits’ identities and audio messages.
He stressed that the Commission would not hesitate to take legal action if necessary.
Since June, payments for over 8,000 election workers have been pending. The ECSL previously attributed the delay to organizational challenges but introduced a verification system in August.
This system promised to provide unique “passwords” to polling staff, enabling them to claim their wages from Sierra Leone commercial banks. Although the verification process was declared complete on September 18, many polling staff members still await their overdue payments.
