Ghana’s Chief Government Nominee on Council, Ernest Kofi Davis, has been elected Vice-Chairman of the West African Examinations Council ( WAEC) for a one-year tenure.

The Head, Public Affairs of the council in Ghana, Damianus Ojijeog, said in a statement.

Davis succeeds Amos Armah Fully of Liberia, whose tenure ended at the close of its 74th annual council meeting.

The meeting, held recently, was declared open by the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, who was represented by the Vice-President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.

In his keynote address, Mahama congratulated WAEC on its 74th anniversary, describing the council as one of the most successful examples of regional collaboration on the African continent.

He noted that the body had, for more than seven decades, upheld educational standards through credible examinations across member countries.

The Ghanaian president, however, warned that: “Rising examination malpractice and certificate falsification posed serious threats to the council’s credibility.”

He called on stakeholders to defend the integrity of the council’s examinations, stressing that the challenge required collective action anchored on truth, honesty and integrity.

Also speaking, Ghana’s Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, represented by Deputy Minister, Clement Apaak, reaffirmed the importance of examinations as tools for human capital development and economic growth.

He announced that Ghana would resume participation in the international version of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates beginning with the 2026 diet.

At the event, three Ghanaian candidates received the WAEC International Excellence Award for outstanding performance in the 2025 WASSCE.

They are Huda Suglo Suleman, who emerged overall winner; Paula Adzo Elinam Suwo, second place; and Matthea Aba Andoh, third place.

Suleman also won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran award for Best Candidate in West Africa.

The council further conferred the Distinguished Friend of Council award on William Afiakwa Asomaning for his contributions to the organisation’s objectives.

WAEC Council, which rotates its annual meeting among member countries — The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone — announced that the 75th meeting will be hosted by Nigeria in March 2027.

The week-long meeting also reviewed WAEC’s operations, ratified committee decisions and considered strategies to strengthen assessment integrity and improve educational standards across the sub-region. (This Day)