Reps tackle NECO over use of ‘manual accounting system’

The house of representatives committee on finance has tackled the National Examination Council (NECO) over its use of manual accounting system.

The lawmakers have also asked Ahmed Idris, accountant-general of the federation, to take over the accounting department of the examination council.

This was after the agency told the panel investigating revenue remittances that it operates a manual accounting system.

During its sitting on Wednesday, the committee had demanded to know the accounting system operated by NECO, but in response, Jacob Ekele, its director of finance and account, said “our reporting pattern is manual”.

James Faleke, chairman of the committee, said it is inappropriate to run a manual system, and wondered why NECO would offer accounting as a subject for students in its examinations but is not “practising” it.

“Manual? You don’t have computer? No accounting software? Is accounting part of the course students take under NECO, and you are not practising? Even if they should take you away from there tomorrow, somebody who is coming in should be able to punch in keys and see what is going on. How do you reconcile? How many states do you have?” Faleke queried.

“We will block your account. We will only release money for exams; any money you will need will be after our reconciliation.

“The accountant-general will be the chief accountant of your agency until a proper standard and a scientific method is established where anybody can be assured that you are doing a good job.”

The panel also queried the agency over failure to remit N636.7 million from 2019 exams fee into the federation account

However, Ekele said state governments are owing the agency N1.788 billion on examination fees they promised to pay for candidates.

The committee, afterwards, directed the agency to provide evidence of the debts and other documents to support the claim.

“Bring all your state directors plus the FCT director. They are to come with all records of student registration from 2010; make it soft copy and one hard copy per state,” Faleke said.

“Their income per state, their outstanding collections, the number of schools in each state, the number of students who take exams per session, the rate of yearly exams, the banks used before TSA, the remittances to the federation account.

“I want letters from the state governments that are owing to confirm that they are actually owing you. This is a complete status inquiry; you are to return here on July 13 with all the people we have mentioned.”

The panel also summoned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the Industrial Training Fund over failure to honour its invitation.