Kogi Discovers Discrepancy In WAEC Fees Projection

GOVERNOR Idris Wada may have been proven right over his decision to stop the payment of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) examination fees for indigenous students because of manipulation by some dubious government officials.

Facts emerging have indicated that only N276.7 million was needed to offset the fees for all the students of Kogi State origin that will sit for the examination this year.

This is coming against the backdrop that over N500 million was what the officials in charge indicated was the cumulative amount required to pay for the WAEC fees.

Apparently piqued by the outrageous figure, the governor earlier expressed disappointment that some officials working against the good intentions of the state government inflated the WAEC fees.

According to him, when he assumed leadership in 2012, N270 million was paid as WAEC fees for the students, stressing that in 2013 the amount jumped to over N300 million and in 2015 to about N500 million. 

He had indicated that the state government could not afford to fund some of the irregularities around the issue.

He said it was unfortunate that people they entrusted with such responsibility turned around and are now manipulating the system for their own selfish interest, instead of serving the people.

The decision to stop the payment had thrown innocent students and their poor parents into hardship, as many of them, especially those in rural areas, were to drop out of school, if alternative arrangement was not secured to address their plights.

Respite came for parents, however, when Wada promised a soft landing for them, especially in the rural communities where parents may not be able to raise the examination fees at all.

He said his action was corrective measures to check mate all loopholes for milking the states by some wicked individuals. 

The committee set up by the Governor after due diligence in unraveling the reason behind the outrageous figure discovered that only N276.7 million was required for the WAEC fees of all indigent students as against N515 million projected by government officials.

According to the findings of the reconciliation committee headed by Hajia Mariam Ladies Ibrahim, some government officials were neck deep in the fraud, even as it recommended stakeholders meeting on education to address challenges in the sector.