BECE: We’ve only received GH¢47m from govt not GH¢80m – WAEC

THE WEST AFRICAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL (WAEC) HAS STATED THAT IT HAS ONLY RECEIVED GH¢47 MILLION FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE BASIC EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (BECE).

FRANK ANNOH-DOMPREH, THE MAJORITY CHIEF WHIP, HAD PREVIOUSLY INFORMED PARLIAMENT THAT THE FINANCE MINISTRY HAD RELEASED GH¢80 MILLION TO WAEC FOR THE BECE.

THIS DISCLOSURE FOLLOWED CONCERNS RAISED BY YUSIF SULEMANA, THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR BOLE-BAMBOI, REGARDING THE GOVERNMENT’S OUTSTANDING DEBT TO WAEC.

INITIALLY, WAEC HAD ONLY RECEIVED GH₵2.3 MILLION OF THE GH₵95.83 MILLION. THIS LED THE COUNCIL TO REQUEST AT LEAST 50% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO CONDUCT THE EXAMINATION AND ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO PROCESS AND RELEASE THE RESULTS.

THE BECE IS SET TO COMMENCE FROM JULY 8 TO JULY 15, 2024, AT ALL CENTRES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE HEAD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AT WAEC CLARIFIED THAT THE COUNCIL RECEIVED A WARRANT FOR ABOUT HALF THE TOTAL AMOUNT ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, NOT THE GH¢80 MILLION AS INDICATED BY THE MAJORITY CHIEF WHIP.

“…THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE PAID US GH¢95,837,306 MILLION AND OUT OF THIS THEY HAVE PAID GH¢2,284,618. SO WE WERE EXPECTING THEM TO PAY A BALANCE OF GH¢93,552,688 TO US TO ENABLE US TO CONDUCT THE EXAMINATION.”

“IN 2023 THEY PAID AND WE STILL HAVE SOME ARREARS OF GH¢698,500 FOR THEM TO SETTLE…EARLIER ON THE 17TH OF MAY WE RECEIVED GH¢2.2M AND THEN THIS AFTERNOON WE RECEIVED A WARRANT FOR GH¢47,125,594. SO THAT IS ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT LEFT TO BE PAID TO US,” HE STATED