The Minority Caucus in Parliament has expressed grave concern over the government’s failure to pay the debt it owes the West Africa Examination Council despite several efforts by the Council to get the government to pay.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, December 21 2023, the Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe underscored that the failure on the part of government to pay its debt to the West Africa Examination Council is undermining the effective operation of the Council.
According to the Akatsi North Member of Parliament the West African Examination Council’s inability to pay invigilators of the Basic Education Certificate Examination and the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination this year is mainly due to the government’s failure to pay the money it owes the Council.
Honorable Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe further argued that despite the Ministry of Finance claims that it has released money to the Education Ministry for onward payment, the West African Examination Council has still not been paid.
“But interestingly, the Ministry of Finance indicated that they do not owe WAEC. That the sum of GH₵129,839,720 WAEC said they owe, the ministry of Finance said they did not owe that and that per their records they have released all monies to the Ministry of Education.
“So the committee has directed that the Minister for Finance or his representative, the Minister for Education and WAEC should meet the committee to resolve the matter. The one who represented the Ministry of Finance at the meeting indicated that for the WASCCE, they made it part of the amount released for the free SHS so on record they do not owe WAEC any sums of money”.
Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe
Following the lack of communication that appeared to exist between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, the Akatsi North legislator indicated that the Parliamentary Committee on Education shall subsequently meet the two ministries to find amicable solutions to the matter.
He stressed on the need for the government, particularly the Ministry of Education to pay the debt it owes the West Africa Examination Council following the approval of GH₵29.5 billion budget for the Ministry to spend in 2024.
Land Meant For The Construction of UNESCO Office Sold
Meanwhile, the Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament Peter Nortsu-Kotoe disclosed that the Parliamentary Education Committee has been informed by Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum that a parcel of property intended for the construction of United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) office in Accra has been sold to a private developer.
“But unfortunately, the piece of land allocated for their office long time ago, Mr. Speaker, I made it known here the other time when we were debating the budget that the land had been sold. The Deputy Minister for Land and Natural Resources vehemently denied it. But at the meeting to discuss the budget we were told by the Minister of Education or he confirmed that the land had been sold and to a private individual, and he’s taking steps to retrieve the land for the Ministry of Education so that UNESCO can make use of that land”.
Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe
According to the Minority Spokesperson on Education, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation which is one agency under the Ministry of Education is located in an a small office space at the Ministry of Education headquarters.
He emphasized that the office space for the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is not befitting the work the organization does and thus urged the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum to take immediate steps to retrieve the land to allow the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to use the land for its intended purpose.
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