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Professor Ibrahim Wushishi
The National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Basic Education Bodies, on Wednesday, queried the National Examinations Council for spending the revenue it generated from selling Senior School Certificate Examination registration forms without permission in 2024.
The poser was raised when NECO Registrar, Prof Ibrahim Wushishi, appeared before the panel to defend the 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal at the National Assembly Complex.
However, the committee was forced to step down the budget defence session by the examination body due to discrepancies in their presentation.
Wushishi told the committee that it realised over N22 billion from the sales of the registration forms at the rate of N22,250 to over 1.3 million candidates for the examination in 2024.
Out of the revenue raised, he said the Federal Government deducted N9.5 billion and the balance was spent on the overhead cost of the agency.
But the account did not add up as the registrar claimed the government deducted 50 per cent, leading the lawmakers to query how it would amount to N9.5 billion.
He said, “Because of the fiscal policy of the government to deduct 50 per cent directly from the source, the government has taken N9.5 billion from the same account, which makes 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.”
Continuing, Wushishi explained that the balance of the IGR was used to conduct five different examinations.
He said because of the direct deduction by the government, they could not put up a proper presentation to the Committee.
Following this, a motion was adopted by the committee to step down the budget defence due to insufficient documents and the inability of the NECO registrar to give a satisfactory explanation of the 2024 budget.
Consequently, it was stepped down till further notice.
Wushishi was thereafter 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 bank statements to date at the next session.
Earlier, the NECO Registrar had said for 2024, the sum of N100 million was appropriated for the payment of outstanding land compensation in respect of the ongoing project 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 N9.8 billion was approved for last year of which 97.5 per cent has been utilised.
But the Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education Bodies, Oboku Oforji, 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 addressed properly.
“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. There I urge all to do the needful by implementing projects and programmes of government.
“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.
