The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies has given the West African Examination Council (WAEC) an ultimatum to provide evidence of spending ₦5 billion to purchase calculators .
The Head of the National Office of WAEC Nigeria, Josiah Dangut, was thoroughly grilled by the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies over a ₦6 billion deficit the agency incurred in 2023.
The committee has requested WAEC to submit all its bank statements from 2018 to the present within a week .
The committee was displeased with the unsatisfactory responses from WAEC representatives, leading to the request for evidence .
The committee questioned the ₦5 billion loan WAEC obtained in 2022 for the purchase of customized calculators .
The committee is probing WAEC's expenditure, including the ₦5 billion spent on calculators, and the ₦6 billion deficit incurred in 2023 .
The allegations against WAEC are centered around the following:
1. Mismanagement of funds: WAEC is accused of mismanaging funds, resulting in a ₦6 billion deficit in 2023.
2. Unauthorized loan: WAEC obtained a ₦5 billion loan in 2022 without proper authorization, allegedly for the purchase of customized calculators.
3. Lack of transparency: WAEC is accused of not providing clear and satisfactory explanations for its expenditures, including the ₦5 billion spent on calculators.
4. Inflated contracts: There are allegations of inflated contracts and procurement irregularities within WAEC.
5. Failure to provide evidence: WAEC has been unable to provide sufficient evidence to support its expenditures, leading to suspicions of financial impropriety.
These allegations have prompted the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies to investigate WAEC's financial activities and demand evidence of its spending.