By Tunde Bolaji – Minna
The management of the National Examination Council, NECO has appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its directive on Twenty Five Percent deduction from Treasury Single Account of the Council to enable it meet up with financial obligations.
This appeal was made by the Registrar and Chief Executive,the Examination body, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi during a courtesy visit paid on him by the leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Niger State Coucil at the NECO headquarters in Minna.
Professor Wushishi said the Council was faced with daunting challenges including exposure of its staff to insecurity and decayed infrastructure across the country, adding that the appeal became necessary to enable the exam body improve on the working conditions of the staff.
He averred that the recent upward review of Duty Travelling Allowance (DTA) by the Federal Government has increased annual expenditure of the Council where over Two Billion Naira in the year 2021 was expended in the payment of DTA of staff.
The Registrar said the Council will need the sum of Six Billion Naira to pay DTA of its 3,525 staff under the new approved DTA regime stressing that the Council was owing a contractor over Four Billion Naira for last year 2021 conducted examinations.
He disclosed that over Forty Million Nigerians have benefitted from the conduct of NECO examinations within 22 years of its establishment.
Professor Wushishi maintained that the 22-year old examination body was the largest indigenous examination body in Nigeria, emphasising that the Council cannot afford to comprise standard and integrity in conducting examinations in Nigeria.
Ealier, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Niger State Council, Comrade Abu Nmodu said the aim of the visit was to familiarise with the Registrar and Management of the examinations umpire.
Comrade Abu Ahmodu said the practising Journalists under the NUJ in the state have a long history of responsible journalism, describing them as Special gatekeepers of responsible media practice.
He said the Council was the secondary gatekeeper that understands the dynamics of reporting NECO-related issues hence the need to cement synergy in the area of stamping the tide of fake news in the state.
The Chairman intimated the Registrar that, the Union was working assiduously to establish a Fact-checking centre at the IBB Pen House with a view to making sure that NECO among other institutions in the state does not fall victim of fake news.
He informed the Registrar and Chief Executive that, the Union was working on organising a Press Week in May 2022 and called on the Exams Council to take advantage of the event for robust collaboration.
