The National Examination Council (NECO) Wednesday disclosed that the debt owed it by 19 states has affected its remittances to the Federation Account.

Jacob Ekele, NECO Director of Finance and Administration, made this known at an investigative hearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance yesterday.

Ekele said the body conducted examinations for students in 19 states where their Governors declared free registration but have not paid as expected, stressing that, Zamfara topped the list over one billion naira debt.

“Our major problem as at today is that, about 19 states are owing NECO, the exam was done for them on credit especially, Zamfara.Some states, the government pay for the students and they are still owing us”. he said.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Rep. James Faleke (APC-Lagos) Faleke recommended that status enquiry be placed on NECO for a comprehensive investigation into the institution’s finances.

Faleke ordered NECO to provide all relevant documents to show its income, expenditure and remittance as well as it’s financial statements, number of enrollees and examination fees paid since 2011 to 2019.

He said the Auditor General of the Federation report indicated that NECO was owing to the Consolidated Revenue Fund the sum of N6 billion and asked the Council to provide its budget since 2011 and documents showing reconciliation made with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Source:- Vanguardngr