The card reader used in Nigerian elections to screen voters may soon be consigned to the dustbin of history, according to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the NASENI, Dr. Mohammed Sani Haruna, on Thursday presented an alternative to the machine: a “Solar-Powered Electronic Voting System.

The presentation was made today at the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja, with plans to present it also to the National Assembly. A demonstration of the gadget has also been made to Independent National Electoral Commission.

Haruna said the device is home-grown and would effectively mitigate current electronic woes. It said election result collation will be cloud-based.

The card reader, similar to the POS machines, was used in last week’s election in Anambra state, with complaints of failure, in some polling units.

According to Haruna, the new proposed robust e-voting device will minimise human interference with the electoral process.

NASENI was established in 1992 by the Federal Government following the recommendations of the White Paper Committee on the 1991 Report of a 150 member National Committee on Engineering Infrastructure comprising Scientists, Engineers, Administrators, Federal and State Civil Servants, Economists, Lawyers, Bankers and Industrialists.

The mandate of NASENI covers production of capital goods, research, production and reverse engineering.

NASENI, by its mandate and scope of operation is the Nigerian only purpose built agency designed to conduct developmental work in manufacturing and as such, it is capable of coordinating the proliferation of technologies developed either within or outside of its Centers including patents obtained. Technologies developed in the areas of spares, components and systems engineering are to be transferred to Entrepreneurs for the production of goods and services. Nigeria can have the benefit of a rapid technological development by strengthening NASENI. (NAN)