The National Examinations Council (NECO) has withheld the 2019 June/July Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results of candidates from Niger State, investigation by THISDAY has revealed.

It was learnt that the results were withheld by the examination body following the state government’s inability to pay about N400 million registration fees.

NECO had about three weeks ago released the results of the examination which showed an appreciable improvement in the performance of candidates generally.

According to the findings, NECO had allowed the students to sit for the examination on the promise that before the release of the results the state government would settle the debt.

It was learnt that even non indigenous students who paid their registration fees through the Ministry of Education have also not been able to access their results because government did not pay the money to NECO.

The state government had abolished the policy of paying the registration fees for public examinations for non-indigenes, saying it would only pay for candidates of the state that sat for the examination.

Efforts to reach the Acting Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Alhaji Abubakar Gana, were unsuccessful, as he was said to have travelled out of Minna.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Bala Mila, confirmed the story, blaming the development on paucity of funds.

Mila said the ministry was already discussing with NECO on how to reach an amicable settlement, adding that about N100 million of the amount had been paid.

In the meantime, both indigenous and non-indigenous candidates affected have not been able to commence the process of seeking admissions into tertiary institutions within and outside the country. (THISDAY)