Niger assembly summons education commissioner over ‘N295m WAEC debt’

The Niger house of assembly has summoned Hannatu Salihu, commissioner for education, over an alleged N295 million owed by the state to the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

The examination council had, in November 2021, said the results of students of indebted states would be withheld.

In 2016 Abubakar Bello, governor of Niger, had threatened to stop government sponsorship of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) over “poor results”.

But in 2018, the state government approved N300 million for students sitting for WASSCE for that year.

At the time, the state had also said it inherited N950 million debt from the previous administration, which was being “paid gradually”.

Reacting to the issues around the debt at plenary on Tuesday, Mohammed Haruna, member representing Bida II, moved a motion to request that the government pays the “N295 million” to enable the students further their education.

He added that withholding the results had affected the students’ chances of seeking admission.

“The tradition has been that government pays WAEC and NECO examination fees for final year students of secondary schools, but recently the reverse has been the case,” he said.

“Unless we as representatives of the people rise and rescue these students who are future leaders, their dreams of getting education may be a mirage.”

According to NAN, the commissioner is expected to appear before the committee on education on April 13.