Parliament Probes Missing Payment Receipts for WASSCE Fees

By Musa Paul 

The Deputy Speaker of the Sixth Parliament and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has summoned the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and the Accountant General’s Department to clarify the payment of ninety billion leones into WAEC’s account without proper documentation.

Hon. Conteh made the summons on Friday, March 7, 2025, during a parliamentary review of financial irregularities within the MBSSE. He ordered the concerned institutions to appear before the committee on Thursday, March 13, 2025, to provide evidence regarding the payment.

According to auditors from the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL), the MBSSE failed to present a payment schedule for WASSCE fees covering approximately 220,721 students for the 2022 and 2023 academic years. The ministry did not submit payment receipts during the audit process or the subsequent verification exercise. Furthermore, the list of schools and candidates benefiting from the payment was not provided for audit verification.

As part of the inquiry, WAEC has been instructed to submit documentation confirming the receipt of payments for the students in question. The Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General’s Department must also provide evidence detailing the processing, remittance, and confirmation of the payment.

Hon. Conteh emphasized that all officials involved in the transaction must appear before the committee for a thorough review. He stressed the importance of accountability and transparency in handling public funds, particularly those allocated for education.