We have only received GH¢47.125m, not GH¢80m – WAEC

The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) is refuting claims that 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, Annor Dompreh, in response to an urgent question filed by the minority on why funds totaling over 90 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 80 million cedis had been paid to WAEC.

However, 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 47.125 million cedis and not 80 million as claimed.

He told Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Starr Today, “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 Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu Kotoe. The Akatsi North MP, also speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, was alarmed by Annor Dompreh’s claim, noting that 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.