Following the review of the Duty Travelling Allowance (DTA) by the federal government, the National Examination Council (NECO) has said that it will require not less than N6 billion to pay its over 3,500 staff on examination duties.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this when he played host to members of the Niger State Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its Chairman, Mr. Abu Nmadu.

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Wushishi also disclosed that the organization is presently indebted to some contractors to the tune of N4 billion.

He said the increase in duty tour allowance by the federal government has therefore led to an increase of about N2 billion in the allowances being paid to the staff engaged in examination duties.

The registrar therefore pleaded with the federal government to exempt the examination body from its Single Treasury Account (TSA) policy under which monies generated by government agencies would be put in a common pool, adding that the exemption will enable NECO to meet some of its financial obligations.

He told his guests that since the establishment of NECO some 22 years ago, no fewer than 22,000 candidates have sat for its examinations, describing the organisation as “the largest single indigenous examination body in the country”.

He vowed that NECO will continue to maintain the high standard and integrity it is known for, assuring Nigerians that it will not compromise on the laid down policies of its founding fathers.

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Earlier, Nmadu had intimated the registrar that the union is working assiduously to establish a fact-checking centre at the IBB Pen House in order to make sure that NECO, among other institutions in the state, does not fall victim of fake news.

Nmadu also disclosed that the union  will soon organise a press week and therefore called on the examination body to take advantage of the event for a robust collaboration with media outfits in the state.