The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has accused the Federal Government of deducting 25% from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the National Examinations Council (NECO).

The union, in a petition written to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, called for an immediate stoppage of the deductions, warning that it may resort to industrial action to press home its demands.

NASU, in the letter signed by NECO branch Secretary, Comrade Reuben  Emdin and made available to journalists lamented that the deduction has taken a major toll on the finances of the examination body as well as staff welfare.

While saying the exam body  is not a revenue generating agency, the union appealed to the minister to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari  to approve the immediate stoppage of the 25 per cent deduction and ensure refunds to clear outstanding entitlement and allowances owed NECO staff.

The letter dated 23 March, 2022 read in parts: "As critical stakeholders in the National Examinations Council (NECO), we are compelled to notify you formally of a 25percent deduction currently enforced by the Federal Government on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the Council since the year 2021.

"Honourable Minister, we are not unmindful of the fact that this issue has already been brought before you by the Council and your effort towards a resolution which led to a presidential intervention on behalf of the Council that allowed for the release of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (Internal) 2021.

"Our position however is that the National Examinations Council (NECO) would not require any kind of intervention from the Federal Government if the 25 percent  deduction was not carried out in the first place. 

"More so that this policy is clearly crippling the activities of the Council and its ability to carry out its mandate. As a Union, we are concerned about the survival of our institution and the welfare of our members, clearly this policy has become a threat to both.

"As such, we can no longer sit and remain silent in the face of an apparent danger to our source of livelihood. The fact that today we have a series of unpaid promotion arrears dating back to 2017, unpaid salaries as a result of migration to IPPIS between the months of March to August 2015, unpaid transfer allowances for a number of years, all of which the Council has not been able to pay, we see no reason why this policy should continue".