‘It’s the norm’ – NECO reacts to concerns over staff taking promotion exam in Minna

The National Examination Council, NECO, on Thursday dismissed concerns raised over its staff members across the federation writing promotion examination at its headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

NECO’s Public Relations Officer, Azeez Sani, said it’s the norm for promotion exams to be written at the body’s headquarters.

A memo sighted  indicated that NECO had directed its staff members eligible for promotion to appear at its headquarters from January 13, 2024 to January 15, 2024.

Concerns were raised over NECO staff members asked to come to Minna to write their promotion examination due to the insecurity ravaging the country.

It was learnt that all staff eligible for the examination will foot their allowances, transportation, medication, accommodation, and other expenses that will be incurred with no support from NECO all through the period of the examination.

Part of the concerns raised was that in 2020/2021, the exam was zonal, thereby affording ease for people and the difficulty of traveling from Rivers, Borno, Taraba, Lagos to Niger State or the possibility of being victims of kidnapping, accidents, and unfriendly conditions.

Reacting to the concerns raised, Sani said it is the practice for eligible staff members to report in Minna for the promotion exams.

Sani said: “They were asked to come to Minna for a promotion exam; the exam has always been held at the headquarters; that has always been the norm.”

On measures to ensure the security of those travelling for the exam in the future, he said: “When those staff were given employment letters, where was the documentation done? Was it not at the headquarters? Some people were recently recruited; their documentation wasn’t it done in Minna, the headquarters?

“Let’s not politicize this thing. We know that there is security challenges in the country, but that has always been the practice. When you are employed in NECO, you come to its headquarters in Minna for documentation.

“It’s even a privilege for one to be promoted in his workplace, so if you are asked to come for a promotion exam, what is bad in that? This is not the first time, it has always been the norm over the years, in fact, since the inception of NECO, it has always been like that.”