A former Chairman of the National Examination Council (NECO), Prof Abubakar Mohammed, has accused government officials of frustrating the exam body by withdrawing N6 billion in examination fees without providing an account for the funds. Mohammed voiced his concerns at NECO’s first award ceremony in Minna, Niger State, attended by educationists and policymakers.
In a bold statement, Mohammed asserted, “The government, and especially some officials in the Ministry of Education, are out to sabotage the indigenous examination body. I do not owe anyone any apology for my statement; some government officials don’t want NECO to exist.”
He went on to reveal that the officials withdrew N6 billion from NECO’s accounts, emphasizing that the money, collected as examination fees from candidates, has not been returned, and there is no transparency about its utilization.
Adding to the financial challenges, Mohammed disclosed that the Federal Government has not released any subventions to NECO for the organization’s operations. He highlighted an agreement on the rotation of examination conduct between NECO and WAEC, expressing concerns that government officials consistently favor WAEC, leading the regional body to conduct its exams exclusively between May and June.
NECO Registrar, Prof Danlami Wushishi, took the opportunity to announce the introduction of scholarships for candidates excelling in the gifted children examination. Commending the dedication of NECO staff, he emphasized their commitment to meeting organizational mandates and timelines.
Despite financial controversies and challenges, NECO remains steadfast in its commitment to providing quality examination services, and the accusations from the former chairman shed light on the difficulties faced by the indigenous examination body.
