The Imo State Government has declared Wednesday, August 15 and Thursday, August 16, 2018 public holidays.
The holidays is to enable Imolites secure their Permanent Voters Card, PVC.
Governor Rochas Okorocha in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, said with available statistics, Imo State has not done well on the issue of registration and collection of PVCs looking at the records from other States in the federation.
He said all hands must be on deck, and politicians and political Parties in the State should drop their political sentiments and show patriotism by playing the expected role to ensure that Imo people have their PVCs using the remaining few days left for the exercise.
Based on the discovery that the State has a meager 480,000 uncollected pVCs , the Governor declared Wednesday, August 15 and Thursday, August 16, 2018 Public Holidays to enable all Imo people qualified to have their PVCs but do not have them, to go and collect them.
Part of the statement reads “For the Wednesday August 15 and Thursday August 16, declared Public Holidays, all the markets, shops and other related ventures will remain closed till 4pm.
“Already, stringent arrangements have been made by the government with Security Agents to ensure compliance. And the government may at the end of the day, give award to the ward or local government that would register and Collect the highest number of PVCs.
“The good people of the State are expected to cooperate and avail themselves of this opportunity, bearing in mind that INEC had announced that, the exercise would end on Friday, August 17, 2018.
“Traditional rulers, Churches and Community leaders have also been urged to rise to the challenges of the period by showing leadership in terms of making sure that their people have their PVCs in their large numbers.
“The governor said the whole exercise is in the overall interest of the State and her people.