Reps Demand Answers From WAEC Chief On N5bn Calculator Expenditure

Reps Demand Answers From WAEC Chief On N5bn Calculator Expenditure

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies questioned Josiah Dangut, Head of the National Office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Nigeria, on Tuesday regarding a N6 billion deficit incurred by the agency in 2023 during an investigative hearing……. CONTINUE READING 

The committee also scrutinized WAEC’s N5 billion loan obtained in 2022 for the purchase of customized calculators. Dangut was accompanied by WAEC Registrar Angus Okeleze, Senior Deputy Registrar Victor Odu, Acting Director of Finance Segun Jerumeh, and Deputy Director of Finance.

Dangut provided the agency’s cashbook, which the committee rejected, demanding instead the bank statements from 2018 to the present.

Due to inadequate responses from WAEC representatives, the committee has given WAEC one week to submit all relevant bank statements.

Committee member Awaji-Inombek Abiante criticized WAEC for its lack of cooperation, urging the examination body to fully disclose financial records and bank statements. He emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “WAEC Nigeria was an uncooperative witness in this process, shielding and denying Nigerians the value of the country’s investment.”

The committee was also dissatisfied with WAEC’s failure to provide all requested documents. It questioned how the agency managed to spend N40 billion in 2023 despite generating N34 billion and queried the approval process for the N5 billion loan.

WAEC was asked to explain the number of students who benefited from the calculators purchased with the loan and to provide detailed expenditure records for the N6 billion deficit. The committee also sought evidence of the loan’s approval, contract award process, payment records, and audit submissions from 2018 to 2023.

Dangut requested additional time to compile and submit the required documents, explaining that the 50 percent advance payment for the Taraba office construction was necessary to avoid cost increases due to inflation.

The committee chairman reiterated the importance of WAEC’s compliance with constitutional requirements and timely provision of all requested documents to facilitate the inquiry.

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