The National Examinations Council says that the northern state governments owe it examination fees of N2.8bn. The Registrar and Chief Executive of the council, Dantani Wushishi, made the disclosure while speaking in Minna on Saturday.Wushishi, however, said despite the debt, the council did not withhold results of defaulting states in the spirit of mutual respect togetherness and understanding. He added that they were already engaging the affected states towards resolving the matter amicably.
“State Governments offer to pay examination fees for candidates from their states but when it comes to the actual payment, they don’t do it, and that has strapped NECO. “Zamfara, Adamawa, Kano, Gombe, Borno and Niger State governments as owing the examination body N1.8 billion debt for the students they registered in 2019”,he said. He reminded them that it is with the money NECO utilise in the payment of staff who participated in the examination exercise as well as purchasing of materials for the smooth conduct of the Examination.
He, therefore, appealed to Northern states Governor’s to as a matter of urgency meet their obligation by settling their debt to enable the council to discharge its duties.