N31m WAEC Fee Stolen In Ogun, Govt Panel Alleges

A panel of enquiry set up by the Ogun State Government to probe the alleged mismanagement of N200 million paid by the government for West African Examinations Council, WAEC, fees, has submitted its report indicting some government officials of stealing N31 million.

The panel, while presenting its report, yesterday, said that some officials of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology,reportedly added a total of 3,571 external candidates to the legitimate list of students that sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, in the last three years in Ogun State.

The administrative panel of enquiry was set up by the Head of Service to look into alleged case of illicit and fraudulent diversion of government funds with a view to unravelling the fraud and recommend appropriate sanctions to prevent future occurrences.

Chairman of the panel, Alhaji Abdul-Fatai Opebiyi, who presented the report to the Head of Service, yesterday, said apart from the money allegedly diverted, various sums of money were discovered to have been held illegally by certain officers of the Ministry.

Opebiyi, who is the Permanent Secretary in theMinistry of Information and Strategy, explainedthat the panel had recommended appropriate sanctions against culpable officers and suggestions on ways of preventing future occurrences.

Responding, the Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle congratulated members for the successful completion of the assignment, expressing optimism that their recommendations would be faultless for adoption.