By Chukwudi Obasi, Abuja
Yesterday, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Basic Education Bodies queried the National Examinations Council (NECO) for spending the revenue it generated from selling Senior School Certificate Examination registration forms without permission in 2024.
This was as the Registrar, Prof Ibrahim Wushishi, appeared before the panel at the National Assembly Complex to defend the 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal.
*Steps down budget defence over discrepancies in presentation
The Committee stepped down the budget defence session by the examination body due to discrepancies in their presentation.
Wushishi told the Committee that it realised over N22bn from the sales of the registration forms, at a rate of N22,250 per form, to over 1.3 million candidates for the examination in 2024.
He said the Federal Government deducted N9.5bn from this sum, and the balance was spent on the agency’s overhead costs.
However, this did not add up as he said the government deducts 50 percent, leading the lawmakers to query how it would amount to N9.5bn.
Wushishi said, “Because of the government’s fiscal policy to deduct 50 percent directly from the source, the government has taken N9.5bn from the same account, making NECO difficult to operate. We are still reconciling and following up with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to see how we can reconcile and put our house in order and submit.”
He said the balance of the IGR was used to conduct five different examinations.
He said that because of the government’s direct deduction, they could not make a proper presentation to the Committee.
Following this, the committee adopted a motion to step down the budget defence due to insufficient documents and the NECO registrar’s inability to give a satisfactory explanation of the 2024 budget.
It was stepped down till further notice.
*Council Registrar directed to produce bank statements for 2024
Wushishi was directed to provide copies of the approved 2024 budget for NECO, details of the various examinations conducted by NECO, the number of candidates registered, the amount paid, and up-to-date bank statements at the next session.
Earlier, the NECO Registrar said that in 2024, N100 million was appropriated for payment of outstanding land compensation related to the ongoing construction of the NECO zonal and state office at Dawaki, Kano State.
However, he said as of December 31, 2024, the Council had not received any allocation.
On personnel costs for 2024, he said N9.8bn was approved last year, of which 97.5 percent has been utilised.
Oboku Oforji, chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education Bodies, said the legislature has a public obligation to implement the budget effectively.
He said they were not out to witch-hunt anyone.
“The legislative branch must play an active role in ensuring that these matters are appropriately addressed.
“The Committee urges all agencies to see us as partners in progress. The agencies should not see the committee as adversaries or conceal any activities. Therefore, I encourage all to do what is needed by implementing government projects and programmes.
“The Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation should ensure that funds are released promptly to the agencies so they can do their responsibilities,” he said.
