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| His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari |
tarnishing the image of the President Buhari led APC government in particular and the Nigerian nation in general.
The issue is about an alleged connivance between JAMB and some Universities investing in corruption by collecting illegal JAMB fees from already qualified candidates for admission to rewrite JAMB to the tune of millions of Naira.
Golden Pen reliably gathered from some of the candidates approved of JAMB as being qualified for admission into the Universities 2017/2018 academic session, that whereas they though qualified for admission, were denied out-rightly without any reason whatsoever.
Three students in separate interviews with this medium made a strong allegation against JAMB and the authorities of some of the Universities/Tertiary Institutions lamenting that they whose results were good with high cut-off points had their positions hijacked and allegedly sold to 'some money bags' by school authorities to whose sons and daughters didn't make it, and were not qualified for admission.
Your Excellency, this allegation is weighty and needs to be investigated properly so as to ascertain why thousands of qualified candidates for admission for the 2017/2018 academic session were denied after going through all the processes and were listed by JAMB as qualified. to be admitted in their schools of choice.
The controversy over this unjust denial of thousands of candidates for admission came to the fore when the Guardian reported February 11 2018 with the caption: "197,050 qualified candidates denied admission in seven universities..."
It was reported that the position of the Guardian based on data collected in seven institutions across the Country "...sharply contradict claims by the Joint Admission and Matriculation that over 75 percent of the total number of qualified candidates that applied for admission were admitted into institution of their choice for the 2017/2018 session."
It is on record that when the new Registrar for JAMB, Mr. Ishaq Oloyede assumed duties he stated in clear terms while speaking at a 'training sensitization forum' that:
"...the board will ensure that candidates are fairly treated and expand admission opportunities as well as protect academic calendar."
"...emphasized that O/A level results are key qualifying requirements for admission... the Board will not consider any candidate unless he/her passes O/A levels"
Your Excellency, that was a meaningful assurance, what relying upon, because of the words of integrity so expressed.
In another development the spokesman of JAMB Dr. Fabian Benjamin also announced to JAMB candidates especially those offered admission what they should do in these words:
"...students who have been offered admission into tertiary institutions will soon see their names on the website of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board"
With all these assurances of self acclaimed fairness to every successful candidate for admission, then started the alleged game of dribble of most of the eminently qualified candidates by some university authorities in connivance with some JAMB officials.
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| His Excellency Bukola Saraki, the Senate President |
After denying the qualified candidates for admission, JAMB went ahead and announced that the validity period for those qualified for admission into universities was just one year and that they should come forward and collect JAMB forms again with more thousands of naira, not minding the fact that some of them come from poor families whose parents are battling to pay money lenders money borrowed for the JAMB their sons and daughters qualified for admission.
Instead of going by the 3 years validity JAMB qualification Law by the Senate for successful candidates to be admitted into universities/tertiary institutions, JAMB for a reason best known to the Board, came out with the position that the denied candidates must re-write JAMB so as to be given the same qualification which they have.
In the eyes of the masses and before the law this is unfair, it is unjust, illegal, therefore null and void. And it's being vied and considered as corruption of the highest order, in view of the fact that, JAMB is out to collect thousands of naira from the said qualified candidates for the same exam they passed.
The Nigerian Senate 13th October 2016 passed the amendment to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board;s Act JAMBBILL111SB 245 into law. Part of the amendment is the extension of the validity of JAMB UTME to 3 years"
"Senate President Bukola Saraki in appreciating his distinguished colleagues for their work toward the passage of the bill commented that the new amendment will indeed bring financial relief to students as well as parents... reduce bottlenecks and corruption in the admission process."
But contrary to that, the JAMB towing a line of impunity, has gone ahead to illegally justify the denial of the thousands of qualified candidates for admission 2017/2018 academic session, by calling on them to come for re-registration and to re-write the same exam which they have passed and are qualified to enter university, tantamount corrupt practices in view of the fact that millions of naira were being collected from the innocent victims.
Alleging the magnitude of corruption in the JAMB, an anti-corruption and Peoples Rights Organization, "WATCHDOG' raised an alarm, saying that:
"A total of eighty three million naira {N83 million}fraud cases... been uncovered in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board offices in Kano, Edo, Kogi and Plateau states. Watchdog learnt that Benue was making cases involving N31million misappropriation in Edo, N20 million in Kano was equally being investigated, while JAMB officials in Plateau and Gombe were been questioned N15 and N10 million mismanagement respectively. At the same time a case of N7 million...was been looked at in Kogi State.
Mr. President, this denting allegation of corruption was not denied by JAMB, instead it was confirmed by the spokesman of the Board according to media reports reads:
"Confirming the development..JAMB spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin confirmed the figures and stressed that Board would be diligent with it;s investigation and would not tolerate corrupt practices from any of it's officials."
But contrary to this claim there has been no information on the outcome of this investigation, rather than that, JAMB is fully out to with impunity extort the helpless qualified candidates for admission N12,000 each, times 197, 050 candidates N2,364,600,000. This is fraudulent and need not be allowed to flourish. .
"Senate President Bukola Saraki in appreciating his distinguished colleagues for their work toward the passage of the bill commented that the new amendment will indeed bring financial relief to students as well as parents... reduce bottlenecks and corruption in the admission process."
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| Prof. Ishaq JAMB Registrar |
Alleging the magnitude of corruption in the JAMB, an anti-corruption and Peoples Rights Organization, "WATCHDOG' raised an alarm, saying that:
"A total of eighty three million naira {N83 million}fraud cases... been uncovered in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board offices in Kano, Edo, Kogi and Plateau states. Watchdog learnt that Benue was making cases involving N31million misappropriation in Edo, N20 million in Kano was equally being investigated, while JAMB officials in Plateau and Gombe were been questioned N15 and N10 million mismanagement respectively. At the same time a case of N7 million...was been looked at in Kogi State.
Mr. President, this denting allegation of corruption was not denied by JAMB, instead it was confirmed by the spokesman of the Board according to media reports reads:
"Confirming the development..JAMB spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin confirmed the figures and stressed that Board would be diligent with it;s investigation and would not tolerate corrupt practices from any of it's officials."
But contrary to this claim there has been no information on the outcome of this investigation, rather than that, JAMB is fully out to with impunity extort the helpless qualified candidates for admission N12,000 each, times 197, 050 candidates N2,364,600,000. This is fraudulent and need not be allowed to flourish. .
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