Police have arrested thirteen persons in connection with the leakage of this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) papers.

Deputy Education Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who confirmed the arrests to Joy News says Head of West African Examination Council (WAEC) Rev Sam Nii Nmai Ollennu is also under National Security investigation.

“Rev Ollennu spent four hours at the BNI premises Wednesday assisting with investigation. 13 people have been arrested as at my last interaction with the BNI from the Ashanti Region and the Greater Accra Region”, the Minster said.

He however dismissed calls for the removal of the WAEC head.

The Deputy Education Minister said Rev 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. Ollennu. President Mahama did not appoint Rev. Ollennu, 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'', he said.

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.