The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies interrogated Josiah Dangut, the Head of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Nigeria, over a N6 billion deficit in 2023 and a N5 billion loan used to purchase customized calculators.
Dangut appeared before the Committee in Abuja on Tuesday, accompanied by several WAEC officials, including Registrar Angus Okeleze and Acting Director of Finance Segun Jerumeh.
Dangut requested additional time to provide the necessary documents and explained that a 50% payment for the construction of the Taraba state office was made to mitigate potential inflationary losses. The Committee, led by its chairman, stressed that their investigation was aimed at ensuring transparency and was not a witch-hunt.
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The Committee questioned WAEC’s financial practices, noting that despite generating N34 billion in 2023, the organization spent N40 billion and approved a N5 billion loan without proper authorization. They demanded explanations for the deficit, details of expenditures, and documentation related to the calculator purchase.
Committee member Awaji-Inombek Abiante criticized WAEC for being uncooperative and called for full accountability. “WAEC Nigeria was an uncooperative witness, shielding information and denying Nigerians value for their investment. They must submit all bank account statements for further investigation,” he stated.
The Committee was dissatisfied with WAEC’s submission, which included only the nominal roll. They ordered WAEC to submit bank statements from 2018 to the present within a week. The Committee also questioned how WAEC could approve a N5 billion loan and how many students received the calculators used in the 2022 elections.
Additionally, the Committee demanded evidence of due process for the loan approval, payment records, and submissions to the Auditor General from 2018 to 2023. They also sought the profile of WAEC’s external auditor and engagement letters for the past three years.
Dangut, who sought another date to present the required documents, explained the need for the partial payment to counter rising inflation. Committee Chairman Oboku emphasized that the inquiry is driven by constitutional responsibilities and urged WAEC to fully cooperate with the investigation.
“Both the legislative house and WAEC are bound by the Constitution. The committee expects full cooperation and timely provision of all documents to expedite our inquiry,” he said.
