The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) said today, Wednesday July 12, in a press statement publishes Operational Instructions on the payment of Polling Staff that were working for the commission before during and after the 2023 multi-tier elections.

The statement was addressed to the ECSL District Election Managers from the Director of Operations. The statement was to inform pooling staff of the “instruction which sets out the policy, procedures, responsibilities, paperwork, and schedule to be followed in the process of payment of Polling Staff for the 2023 multi-tier elections.”

The Director of Operation in the said statement also warn staff to note that “Payment of Polling Staff is a complex process that needs to be carefully managed. It is crucial, therefore, that the steps, responsibilities, and timelines governing the payment process are clear to all involved.”

The statement also addresses cases that will be brought up by any staff to be communicated to the Field Coordinator.

“In case a District Electoral Office is unsure of any aspect of the procedure, it is essential that ECSL Field Coordination is contacted immediately for clarification.”

The statement also made mentioned of how the payment will go noting that “DEMs should note that UNDP will transfer funds to the district accounts solely for the payment of temporary contracted Polling Staff. Payment should be done in collaboration with the SLP for the provision of security at every stage of the payment process. Payment will be observed by accredited institutions such as ACC, EON, etc, as approved by the Commission. DEMs are to identify payment locations (preferrably former training locations) within their districts. These payment locations should be divided into the number of days as indicated in the table below.”