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Minority seeks investigation into GH¢68.5 million reportedly spent on photocopying WASSCE ‘Pasco’

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Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, said in Parliament on Monday, March 4, that the government used the money to photocopy old questions for SHS students to enable them study sufficiently for the WASSCE. Mr. Adutwum informed Parliament that the government acquired the previous questions from Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery at a unit price of GH¢78.00 during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak to assist pupils ahead of the WASSCE.

The Minority in Parliament is pushing for an inquiry into an alleged GH¢68.5 million spent on photocopying old questions for WASSCE candidates in 2020 and 2021.

The Ministry of Education allegedly spent GH¢33.6 million in 2020 and over GH¢34 million in 2021 for this reason, both through single-source procurement.

Speaking to the media, Ashaiman Member of Parliament Ernest Norgbey urged the Special Prosecutor to thoroughly investigate what the caucus believes is a potentially corrupt practice.

“We cannot countenance this, and this is fraud. If this is not corruption, what else will be corruption? A photocopy costs GH¢78 per paper, and GH¢59.10 per paper, totalling GH¢68.5 million, what are we doing? And so, we in the Minority are taking strong exception to this, and we are saying that the Special Prosecutor must look into this matt
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, said in Parliament on Monday, March 4, that the government used the money to photocopy old questions for SHS students to enable them to study sufficiently for the WASSCE.

Mr Adutwum informed Parliament that the government acquired the previous questions from Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery at a unit price of GH¢78.00 during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak to assist pupils ahead of the WASSCE.


“To help prepare the final year Senior High School students for the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the Ministry has procured 446,954 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) questions from Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery at a unit price of GH¢78.00. The procurement will be funded from the Free Senior High School Account

“Mr. Speaker, in 2020, Government through its efforts to help students amidst COVID-19 to prepare for the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination procured 568,755 past questions for students to try their hands on before sitting for the actual exams.”

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The Foreign Affairs Ministry cautions against travelling to Northern Mali

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"The Ministry remains committed to the safety of Ghanaians and will provide updates on the security situation in the region under reference in due course," the statement went on to say. The Foreign Affairs Ministry reminded the people to always prioritise their safety when travelling.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has advised Ghanaians not to travel to certain areas of Northern Mali.

In an official statement, the Ministry underlined recent security concerns along critical routes connecting Mali and Niger, notably in the Gao and Ansongo regions of Northern Mali.

The Ministry mentioned incidents of terrorist activity targeting travellers along these routes.

“The Ministry remains committed to the safety of Ghanaians and will provide updates on the security situation in the region under reference in due course,” the statement went on to say.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry reminded the people to always prioritise their safety when travelling.

Find the statement below:

WhatsApp Image 2024 04 26 at 19.20.01 712x1024 1 jpeg
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Gov’t settles on blue and white as new paint for basic schools

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He also announced the replacement of the brown and yellow outfits. "We are modifying the uniforms of public elementary schools across the country. The yellow and brown that you see now will go. Reformation is coming to a community near you, and you will witness it." The education minister expanded, saying that this project is part of the government's attempts to demonstrate to critics that its concentration is not exclusively on secondary education.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, has declared that the government intends to repaint all public basic schools in blue and white, replacing the present brown and yellow.

This programme is part of a rebranding campaign to improve the appearance of the institutions.

Dr Adutwum went on to say that this is only one of several initiatives targeted at revitalising and improving basic education in the country.

“We’re moving to blue and white. We are painting all of the schools to give them an appealing appearance. This is the revolution Ghana deserves, and it is on its way,” the minister said at a “The free SHS tale” discussion in Accra on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

He also announced the replacement of the brown and yellow outfits.

“We are modifying the uniforms of public elementary schools across the country. The yellow and brown that you see now will go. Reformation is coming to a community near you, and you will witness it.”

The education minister expanded, saying that this project is part of the government’s attempts to demonstrate to critics that its concentration is not exclusively on secondary education.

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We’ve not been paid GH¢1 billion; KPMG’s assertion is false – SML

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SML further stated that KPMG's inability to mention that 31.5 percent of the total GH¢1,061,054,778.00 taken as taxes provides a very uneven "impression of the relationship between the compensation, investment, and other related costs." "SML believes that KPMG's failure to include GRA taxes of 31.5% taken before payment, interest payments of 32% plus SML's investment repayment, and other taxes/duties over the period creates an unbalanced impression of the relationship between compensation and investment and other related costs. This omission is really deceptive.

Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML) denied receiving GH¢1,061,054,778.00 for a revenue mobilisation contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

President Akufo-Addo ordered KPMG to audit the contract between the GRA and SML on January 2. KPMG’s findings revealed that SML received a total of GH¢1,061,054,778.00 from 2018 to date.

However, Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd responded by denying the charges, noting that KPMG reported the amount “without reference to the investments made and the taxes paid” during the review period.

“KPMG quotes a figure as compensation to SML. It is interesting to note that this figure is quoted without reference to the investments made and the taxes paid by SML over the period within the consolidated contract

“The compensation of GH¢1,061,054,778.00 stated by KPMG is inaccurate.”

SML further stated that KPMG’s inability to mention that 31.5 per cent of the total GH¢1,061,054,778.00 taken as taxes provides a very uneven “impression of the relationship between the compensation, investment, and other related costs.”

“SML believes that KPMG’s failure to include GRA taxes of 31.5% taken before payment, interest payments of 32% plus SML’s investment repayment, and other taxes/duties over the period creates an unbalanced impression of the relationship between compensation and investment and other related costs. This omission is really deceptive.

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