Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Monday in Abuja, lauded the West African Examinations Council for its “quick responses” which show respect for citizens.
Osinbajo said this when he received at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a delegation of the examinations body in town for the Council’s 70th Annual Meeting.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Monday titled ‘Gov’t agencies must hold citizens in high esteem, be responsible to them–Osinbajo.’
Citing reports that digital certificates are now available to those who lost physical copies of their certificates, the Vice President said, “These kinds of quick responses show respect for citizens.
He expressed joy that the Examinations Council is responsive and aligns with the digital technology age in different areas.
“Just looking at the press reports and what WAEC has done, it has shown that it is very responsive to the needs of society. I was particularly impressed by the new digital certification that was announced some time ago, that if one lost his/her WAEC certificate, you can apply for the digital copy, which means your records are never lost.
“There is no need for the long and hard process of seeking for a certified (physical) copy. I think this is a true response to the times. That is very good,” he said.
He noted that beyond core regulatory roles, Government agencies must always show that they are responsible to the people that they serve and that they hold them in high esteem.
“It is very important that we show respect for our citizens and show that we are concerned about them, that we are not just a regulatory body that feels that its role is just to be a policeman and all of that. I think we must also show that we are responsible for the people that we serve and that we hold them in high esteem,” the Vice President said.
Osinbajo also highlighted and praised the prompt response of the examinations body to the issue of some candidates having difficulties regarding the National Identification Number, where the body responded that due to the challenges with the NIMC portal at the time, the affected candidates could still sit for the exams.
He also congratulated WAEC for its achievement since it was established about 70 years ago.
“Everyone who has watched WAEC progress over the years would agree that WAEC is a huge part of our history as a nation. WEAC certification has that importance and it has been like that for 70 years. So, I think it is worthy of celebration and commendation, WAEC has done so very well through the years.
“So, I congratulate you, the Nigerian team, and the WAEC Council, not just for being given the special privilege of hosting the 70th anniversary, but also because we are clearly the largest contributor and beneficiary and this has been so for 70 years.”
In her remarks, the leader of the Nigerian members of WAEC, who is also the Director, Basic & Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Binta Abdulkadir, thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria “for the opportunity to host the 70th Annual Council Meeting, as well as the support to the Council over the years.”
She added that the Council is the highest decision-making body of WAEC with membership drawn from the 5 member countries—Nigeria, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana.
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