The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, has queried Head, National Office, West African Examination Council, WAEC, Nigeria, Josiah Dangut, over a N6 billion deficit, the agency incurred in 2023.
The committee, led by Hon. Oboku Oforji, gave WAEC a one-week ultimatum to submit all bank statements from 2018 to 2023.
An investigative hearing conducted by the House Committee over the N6 billion deficit the council incurred in 2023 reached these resolutions in Abuja.
Key demands made by the committee include, Explanation for the N6 billion deficit,bank statements from 2018 to 2023,evidence of expenditures leading to the deficit,correspondence related to the purchase of customized calculators, approval for the N5 billion loan, evidence of due process followed for contract awards, payment vouchers and bank records, submission of accounts to the Auditor General for the Federation from 2018 to 2023,profile of the external auditor and engagement letters for the past three years.
The committee also questioned WAEC’s approval of a N5 billion loan for customized calculators, citing that even a ministerial board cannot approve such an amount.
The committee also queried the payment of 50% of the contract sum for the Taraba State office construction project, worth N532 million, allegedly breaching financial regulations.
WAEC Head, Josiah Dangut, pleaded for more time to present the required documents, citing the need to gather information.
The committee chairman emphasized that the inquiry is not a witch-hunt but a constitutional obligation to ensure accountability and transparency.
