By: Abdul Razack Gbla
The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has been coming under fire for their significant delays in compensating ad-hoc personnel who facilitated the 2023 multi-tier elections. As of 18 June 2024, ECSL announced via a press release that 48,229 e-vouchers had been issued to the ad-hoc polling staff, yet over 14,000 individuals still await their payments, despite an initial deadline set for March 2024.
The prolonged delay has sparked criticism and frustration among the unpaid personnel. While ECSL has facilitated payments for 34,164 staff members, the remaining individuals have not received their due compensation. This lag has raised concerns about the commission’s efficiency and accountability in managing election logistics and personnel welfare.
To expedite the remaining payments, ECSL, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has enlisted Africell to finalize the disbursement by 21 June 2024. Africell has already started sending SMS notifications containing e-voucher codes and instructions to the ad-hoc staff. Personnel are required to present these SMS messages along with valid government-issued IDs—such as a national identity card, voter ID card, driver’s license, or passport—to verify their details and claim their payments.
Despite these efforts, the lengthy wait has drawn scrutiny. Critics argue that the delays reflect poorly on ECSL’s organizational capabilities and have caused undue hardship for the ad-hoc workers, many of whom rely on these payments for their livelihoods.
“The delay in payments is unacceptable and shows a lack of respect for the hard work and dedication of the polling staff,” said an anonymous source who is not satisfied with the delay of ECSL. “ECSL needs to address these inefficiencies to restore trust and ensure timely compensation in future elections.”
ECSL acknowledged the dedication and patience of the ad-hoc staff in their press release, expressing appreciation for their service and cooperation throughout the extended process. However, this acknowledgment has done little to assuage the concerns of those still waiting for their payments, who continue to express their dissatisfaction with the protracted delays.
With the 21st June deadline drawing to ta a close, all eyes are on ECSL and Africell to see if they will meet this target and resolve the outstanding payments. The outcome will likely impact the perception of ECSL’s credibility and effectiveness in handling future electoral processes.
