WAEC Denies It Has Plans To Relocate Its Headquarters From Ghana
- The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has debunked rumours it wants to relocate its headquarters from Ghana
- This follows the media reports citing the Ghanaian government's heavy indebtedness to the examination body
- However, WAEC explained that it has not had any such consideration and that its place in Ghana was established by law
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has denied rumours that it plans to relocate its headquarters from Ghana to Nigeria.
The comment follows recent media publications that suggested that WAEC was considering relocating its offices due to the government’s alleged failure to settle its debts.
Source: UGC
The government reportedly owes WAEC about GH¢150.93 million, which has severely affected the examination body’s operations.
However, reacting to the speculations on social media, WAEC’s Head of Public Relations, John Kapi, denied the claims and said the council had not considered any such decision.
He noted that WAEC’s situation in Accra was established by law and until that law has been changed, the examination body cannot unanimously decide whether it wanted to exit Ghana.
WAEC says BECE at risk of cancellation
In June of this year, the WAEC hinted that it may be forced to cancel the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) due to severe funding challenges.
According to the council, the government’s failure to release critical funds for the preparation and administration of the exams had put them in a precarious situation.
It stated that due to the money owed by the government, it had not been able to purchase the necessary examination logistics needed for the start of the exams on July 8, 2024.
In an interview with JoyFM, John Kapi, the Director of Public Affairs at WAEC, revealed that the council expects a total amount of GH₵95,837,306 from the government, out of which the government has only paid GH₵2,284,618, leaving a balance of GH₵93,552,688.
He stressed that GH₵2 million received was not enough to adequately plan and prepare for the examinations.
Government releases GH₵80 million to WAEC
YEN.com.gh reported that the government had released GH₵80 million to the WAEC to conduct the BECE this year.
Confirmation came from the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, in Parliament on June 21, 2024.
Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
