The Examination board, National Examination Council, NECO, has withheld the results of students in Niger state due to debts accruing to N470 million.
The Niger state government has always been responsible for the payment of examination fees in the state and according to news reporters, the government pays in installment. However This year has been a tough for the state who has not been able to render payment to the Examination council.
Students in the state have been unable to gain access to the NECO May/June results which have been released since August 29th, 2019 and this has frustrated their efforts in getting into tertiary institutions because of their inability to attend Post-UTME screening.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Mallam Abubakar Aliyu has admitted the N470 million owed to the council and he also pleaded with the council to release the results since N150 million payment has already been remitted, with a promise to pay back the remaining N320 million soon.
“The state government has been paying NECO and WAEC for its students from the previous government and the arrangement has always been that when the government has funds, we pay in instalment.
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“NECO is owed N400 million this year and the government has commenced the payment. Last week Friday, we remitted N150 million to them and we are still negotiating with them to release the results but they have not. Hopefully, they may release it today (Monday),” he said.
Aliyu said paying the remaining N320 million at once, may be almost impossible due to financial constraints on the state.
“We do not have money to release at once but as a responsive government, we have a clear picture of what we want to do. Once we get money, we will make them to release it. Within the availability of resources, we have given what we have and we will continue to give them what we have until we clear the accumulated debts,” The Permanent Secretary explained.