Reps Committee Questions WAEC Over N5 Billion Loan for Customised Calculators

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies has questioned the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Nigeria regarding a N5 billion loan obtained in 2022 for the purchase of customized calculators.

During an investigative hearing on Tuesday, Committee Chairman Oforji Oboku demanded that relevant documents related to the loan be presented at the next session. The Registrar of WAEC was represented by Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, Head of the National Office, WAEC Nigeria.

Other WAEC officials present at the hearing included Angus Okeleze, Senior Deputy Registrar; Victor Odu, Acting Director of Finance; and Segun Jerumeh, Deputy Director of Finance.

In his presentation, Dangut asserted that WAEC was not a government agency and therefore not accountable in the same way as other agencies. However, the lawmakers emphasized that WAEC Nigeria was established by an Act of the National Assembly and must account for its activities accordingly.

The lawmakers noted that the National Assembly appropriates funds for WAEC and that WAEC’s convention requires compliance with the legislation of its member countries.

The Committee Chairman requested the audited statements of accounts from WAEC for the years 2018 to the present. He emphasized that WAEC must operate under the supervision of the National Assembly and cannot claim exemption from government agency oversight.

“You are not different from any other agency, claiming you are not an agency of the government. We are not here to witch-hunt you. WAEC is subject to Nigeria’s laws. We have reviewed the position and we have all the powers to oversee you. You cannot come here and say WAEC is not an agency of government,” Oboku stated.

He concluded by saying WAEC officials would be invited again and insisted that the requested documents be provided, warning of potential sanctions if they fail to comply.