<<Print>>

Contrary to the calls for the removal of the head of the Ghana office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), after the leakage of examination papers of the ongoing basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), the Deputy Minister of Education in Charge of Tertiary Education Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that call cannot be heeded.

The Education Mensah said Rev Sam Nii Nmai Ollennu cannot be removed by government because WAEC is a sub-regional body whose mandate is not determined by one member country.

''If you look at Act 719 (2006), we do not have that mandate. We did not appoint Rev.Ollenu. President Mahama did not appoint Rev. Ollenu, the head of the Ghana Office. He applied, responded to an advert put out by the council, which is a West African body. We were privileged to host the headquarters. He has been there for three years, he has three years more to go. He will hold the position until he retires. At this point, it is only the council that can take a decision on his fate or his future'', said the Deputy Minister.

According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, even though the country does not have the mandate to sack the head of the Council in Ghana or dissolve the Board, government can evoke her criminal code in the case of any criminality established by the law enforcement agencies in conformity with the WAEC Act.

The Deputy Minister was speaking at GM Afeti Auditorium of Ho Polytechnic.

He was addressing a gathering of students during an outreach programme of the Ministry of education dubbed Campus Connect.

Campus Connect is an initiative of the education ministry to engage students of the various Tertiary institutions.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa assured that no stone would be left unturned in terms of investigations and the punishment of the culprits.

He hinted that thirteen (13) persons have been arrested in the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions in connection with the recent exams leakage.

The event was heavily attended by some government officials including Joyce Bawa Mogtari- Deputy Minister of Transport; Abla Gomashie-Azaglo, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts; Dr. Bernice Heloo; Deputy Minister- Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Minister of Agriculture, and Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health.