The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) is refuting claims it has received 80 million cedis from the government for the conduct of this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), contrary to claims by Nsawam Adoagyiri MP and Majority whip, Frank Annor Dompreh.
In Parliament on Friday, June 21, 2024, Mr. Annor Dompreh in response to an urgent question filed by the Minority on why funds totaling over Ghc90 million cedis have not been disbursed to WAEC for the conduct of the 2024 BECE, revealed that the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Abena Osei Asare had indicated to him that Ghc80 million cedis had been paid to WAEC.
But that claim has been quickly discredited by the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi who mentioned that around midday, Friday, the government issued a warrant worth Ghc47.125 million cedis and not 80 million as claimed.
He told Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Starr Today that “As we speak, we received a warrant of 47.125 million Ghana cedis from the government. So that is what we have documented.
This warrant is simply a paper, we are yet to process it through the GIFMIS system so we can put it to use.”
This was further corroborated by the Ranking on Parliament’s Education committee, Peter Nortsu Kotoe. The Akatsi North MP on Starr Today, hosted by Joshua Kodjo Mensah, was alarmed by Mr. Annor Dompreh’s wild claim, noting Abena Osei Asare, the minister of state at the Finance Ministry confirmed in a meeting that a total of 47 million had been issued as payment to WAEC. “
The controversy surrounding the government’s indebtedness to WAEC has been raging with many fearing the phenomenon will jeopardize this year’s BECE.
Groups such as the Ghana National Education Coalition (GNECC) sounded the alarm with a call on the government to do the needful.
Source: starrfm.com.gh/Ghana/Joshua Kodjo Mensah
