On Tuesday, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, Oforji Oboku, raised concerns with the West African Examination Council, WAEC, Nigeria regarding a N5 billion loan acquired in 2022 for the acquisition of a customised calculator.
During an investigative session with the Registrar of the examination body, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, Chairman Oboku requested that all relevant documentation pertaining to the loan be presented at the next meeting.
Dr. Dangut, accompanied by WAEC officials including Angus Okeleze, Victor Odu, and Segun Jerumeh, emphasized that WAEC is not a governmental agency and therefore not subject to the same level of accountability as other agencies.
However, the Committee members argued that WAEC Nigeria was established through an Act of the National Assembly and as such, they are obligated to report and justify all their actions to the Committee.
They highlighted that appropriations for WAEC are made by the National Assembly and that the organization is required to adhere to the legislation of its member countries.
The Committee Chair insisted on the submission of audited financial statements of the examination body from 2018 onwards, stressing that WAEC cannot operate without oversight from the National Assembly.
Addressing WAEC representatives, the Chairman stated, “You are not exempt from government regulations by claiming you are not a government agency. Our intention is not to target you unfairly. WAEC is bound by Nigerian laws, and we have the authority to supervise your operations. You cannot assert that WAEC is independent of government oversight.”
He declared that WAEC would be summoned for further discussions at a later date, urging the officials to provide the required documents to avoid potential penalties.