NECO self-sufficient without FG allocation – Registrar

Says exam body remitted N1bn to govt

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

Acting Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Mr. Abubakar Gana, has said that the way the council is currently managing its resources, it would soon be self-sufficient without relying on allocations from the federation account.

Gana, also confirmed that the council remitted about N1billion to the consolidated revenue account of the federation as operating surplus from its internally generated revenue.

Speaking when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Basic Education for the defence of NECO’s 2019 budget, he disclosed that the reforms initiated by the council as well as transparency and accountability in its official dealings led to the operating surplus that was returned to the federal government.

The NECO boss further expressed his desire to expedite action on the reforms being carried out in NECO, assuring the lawmakers that the 2019 budget of the agency would be judiciously implemented.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Senate Committee, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, commended NECO’s leadership for effective deployment and utilization of resources allocated to it for the conduct of examinations across Nigeria.

Wamakko, who openly extolled the leadership of the exam body for remaining steadfast in ensuring prudence in the agency, confirmed that the leadership of NECO returned unused overhead allocation into the consolidated account in its 2018 budget.

While stating that NECO was borrowing a lift from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) by prudently managing its resources, the senator expressed confidence in the agency to further apply its 2019 appropriation reasonably.

Daily Times recalls that under Gana’s leadership, the federal government recently slashed NECO registration fees from N11,350 to N9, 850, thus paving the way for more participation in its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE).