Kogi Assembly gives ministry ultimatum to pay N497.3m WAEC fees

The Kogi State House of Assembly has given a December 30 ultimatum to the state Ministry of Education to pay N497.3 million examination fees to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The House wondered why the fees, already released by Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, were yet to be paid to the coffers of the examination body.

The Speaker of the House, Umar Yusuf, gave the ultimatum to the Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wemi Jones, during plenary on Thursday.

The House gave the ultimatum after the commissioner had cleared the air on issues around the fees.

Jones had said there was confusion caused by some school principals who were collecting WAEC fees and other levies despite the release of the funds by the state government.

Governor Bello had, in November, released N497.3 million for the payment of the fees for 15,033 students across the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State, but the payment has not been effected.

Jones, who appeared before the House, had confirmed the release of the fund but that the process of payment was in progress.

The commissioner said: “I hereby inform this honourable House that the fund released by our caring governor is not missing but intact in the coffers of the ministry’s account.

“I assure that very soon it will reach WAEC before the closing date of January 28, 2024, and not to any principal or school.”

The commissioner warned principals and examination officers to desist from any act of criminality by asking students to make payments for WAEC, PTA, and any other levies, adding that education is free in Kogi State.

Jones said principals, school heads, and examination officers have no reason or permission to collect any money from students as WAEC or PTA levy in the state.

“Private schools are not included in this government largesse as those involved will go through a verification exercise to ascertain the true number of the students,” he added.

Jones stated that the fee for WAEC in the state is N33,100 in 2024 and warned private schools not to charge extra money, so as not to be sanctioned by the ministry.

Segun Ojo