Gov’t has initiated payment of GHS47 million to us; not GHS80 million – WAEC clarifies

Public Affairs Director at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), John Kapi has disclosed that government has initiated the process to pay the Council an amount of GHS47 million.

The amount covers part of the cost of the organisation of this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Before the clarification, the Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Frank Annoh-Dompreh had indicated that government through the Finance Ministry has released GHS80 million to WAEC.

“When this morning, we came to the chamber, the ranking member raised the matter. I followed up with a call together with the Minority Chief Whip to the Minister of State responsible for Finance. We are told an amount of GHC80 million has been released to WAEC,” Annoh-Dompreh said.

But speaking to Citi FM, John Kapi said: “The document that I’ve received from the director of Finance which he tells me is the only communication we have received from them [government] is the GHS47.125 million and not GHS80 million as is circulating on social media earlier.”

In total, WAEC expects to receive GHS93.552 from government to enable the Council conduct the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination.

Despite the delay in the release of funds, WAEC says preparations are far advanced and examination questions will be ready by the end of next week.

“As we speak we are far advanced with the printing of question papers. God willing by the end of next week we would have been done with the printing,” John Kapi said in his interview with Citi FM.

This year’s BECE will commence on July 8 and end on July 15.