The Kaduna State Government has expressed concerns over the low turnout of citizens in the ongoing voter registration exercise and called on council chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and the media to intensify mobilisation efforts.

Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed that Governor Uba Sani has taken pragmatic steps to ensure greater mobilisation of eligible voters for broader participation.

Maiyaki made the remarks during his opening address at a stakeholders’ meeting convened to review the challenges facing the exercise and develop strategies for improved turnout.

He said preliminary reports from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that Kaduna State and the North West are lagging behind in registration figures, a development that has already attracted the attention of the federal government.

He explained that the meeting was deliberately broadened to include council chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders and the media because of their strategic roles in mobilising citizens across diverse demographics.

“The government is deeply concerned about ensuring stronger citizen engagement in this exercise. This is not about partisanship; it is about encouraging all segments of society youths, women, the elderly, and every gender group to participate actively in the democratic process,” Maiyaki said.

The commissioner commended council chairmen who have already launched sensitisation campaigns in their localities, noting that the meeting created a platform for experience sharing and coordinated planning to achieve greater impact.He further explained that the engagement was structured in two phases: an opening session with the media to highlight objectives and build momentum, followed by a technical session with council chairmen to harmonise grassroots mobilisation strategies.(Daily Trust)