NIGERIA: Finance Minister Thinks 16 + 6 Equals 24; social media reacts to the gaffe

Kemi Adeosun

Finance Minister, #Kemi Adeosun Think 16 + 6 Is 24? (VIDEO) Nigeria’s finance minister, London trained accountant, Kemi Adeosun has been trending on Facebook for a gaffe she made at a press briefing.

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accusations of graft at an unnamed examination body in Nigeria. She said that the agency budgeted N6 billion for its expenses in 2015, and made N16 billion as income, but reported N3 million. In the process, Adeosun added N6 billion and N16 billion and said it was N24 billion. Social media users were quick to point out that the correct answer is actually N22 billion. Some Facebook users called it ‘Slip-of-tongue, brain freeze, honest mistake’

Ms Kemi Adeosun is a chartered accountant who has served as commissioner of Finance in Ogun State.

WAEC replies the minister:

"It's not enough to go to the Senate and reel out figures. The minister should know, that what Nigerian students pay to sit for WAEC examinations is simply an operational/management cost, that covers registration, data keeping and management, printing of examination papers, logistics, marking of scripts and production of certificates. And all these cost about N16 billion Naira.

WAEC examination is not designed as a revenue generating source for the Federal Government. In fact governments in the past subsidized the examination fees, just to encourage education. The N6 billion Naira she talked about is for payment of salaries and overheads for staff of the Council.

However, we do not know the mathematical formula the Honourable Minister used, when she said the summation of N16 billion Naira and N6 billion Naira was N24 billion Naira.

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I think somebody needs to resit her WAEC mathematics examination. And we in WAEC have offered to give her a free WAEC form in this respect." Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, Registrar West African Examination Council