All seems set for the commencement of the registration of voters as the Direct Data Capture machines ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission have started arriving the country.
Sources close to the transaction told THE PUNCH on Monday that one of the suppliers, Zinox Technologies Limited, had so far brought in 14,000 units of the electronic equipment.
The machines, according to him, came in aboard three Boeing 747 aircraft. One of the aircraft flew into the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos exactly one week ago, while the others arrived from China and Dubai on Sunday.
Zinox is one of the three companies that got Request for Quotations from INEC to supply 132,000 units of the DDC machines.
The indigenous Information Technology company was asked to supply 80,000 units of the machines.
Others are Haier Electrical Appliances Corporation of China, which was asked to supply supply 30,000 units, and Avante of United States, which was given 22,000 units.
One of the sources close to the transaction said, ”We have started receiving the DDC machines for INEC and over 14,000 units are already in Nigeria.
“They were brought into the country on three chattered Boeing 747 aircraft. The first one arrived Nigeria last week Tuesday, November 30, 2010 while the two others arrived on Sunday from Dubai and China.”
The source said 14 more chattered flights were expected in the country in the next 10 days to supply the remaining machines.
He explained that the ‘delivered machines’ were already being loaded at a warehouse in Ikeja, Lagos.
The source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, added that Zinox would soon start the delivery of the machines to different locations across the country.
He said, ”We have started receiving our goods and all things being equal, we shall start shipping to different locations from next week. Most importantly, the Zinox/ INEC project will create a short term employment for over 1,000 Nigerians which is the aim of such project in Nigeria.”
When contacted, the Head, Corporate Affairs, Zinox Technologies, Mr. Echika Ezuka, confirmed the development.
He said, ”We have received delivery of over 14,000 units of the biometric data machines and this is a demonstration of what Zinox can do. Nigerians should be rest assured that Zinox will deliver before the commencement of the registration process. We cannot afford to disappoint the nation.”
Twelve companies were said to have bid for the multi-billion naira contract, which was based on INEC’s budget of $2,000 per unit.
The benchmark for the supply of the DDC machines was said to have been pegged at $1,443 per unit, which was the lowest quote submitted by one of the companies.
When contacted, INEC’s Director of Information, Mr. Emmanuel Umenger, neither confirmed the arrival of the DDCmachines.
“If they (machines) have arrived, it goes to prove that INEC is competent to conduct a credible, free and fair elections in 2011,” he said in an elated tone.
Umenger, who recalled that the commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had “repeatedly said that the machines would arrive as from mid-December,” added, “If they have arrived earlier, it is a plus for us.”
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