Kogi State Assembly Issues Ultimatum for Prompt Disbursement of N497.3 Million WAEC Exam Fees

In a decisive move, the Kogi State Assembly has set a December 30 deadline for the Ministry of Education to expedite the disbursement of N497.3 million allocated by Governor Yahaya Bello for WAEC exam fees. Expressing concern over the delay, assembly members questioned why the funds, released by the governor in November, had not yet reached the accounts of the examination body. Commissioner Wemi Jones assured the assembly that the funds were intact in the ministry’s account and that the payment process was underway, emphasizing that it would reach WAEC before the January 28, 2024 closing date. Jones sternly warned school principals against collecting fees from students, reiterating the state’s commitment to free education. Private schools, excluded from the initiative, will undergo a verification exercise to determine student numbers, with a specific caution against imposing additional charges for WAEC to avoid ministry sanctions.