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 the Ministry of Information
and Strategy, explained that the panel had recommended appropriate
sanctions against culpable officers and suggestions on ways of
preventingfuture 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.