Niger settles N300m WAEC, other exams fees for indigent students

Niger state government has approved the payment of N300 million to the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) and other school-based examination bodies for the benefit of indigent students.
According to the Commissioner for Education, Fatima Madugu, this is under the state’s free education programme.
The commissioner stated this yesterday in a post-Executive Council meeting briefi ng, adding that the amount represented part payment of outstanding debt of N969 million owed the examination bodies.
She said with the release of the amount, government had off set fees charged by the bodies for forthcoming examinations.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Mamman Musa, has said government had procured high-lift pumps and other accessories at the cost of N700 million.
The commissioner stated this while also addressing journalists at the press conference at the Government House.
He said the equipment were to boost water supply in six cities of Minna, Kontagora, Bida, Suleja, New Bussa and Lapai, adding that some of the pumps had been installed at Minna Water Works, and “this has led to tremendous improvement of water reticulations in Minna.
” The commissioner said government had begun the overhauling of obsolete reticulation facilities to ensure that “water fl ows to every home in Minna and other cities.
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