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2018 UTME: JAMB Plans New Registration Mode
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, says the board may introduce a new mode of registration in 2018 to checkmate fraudsters.
Oloyede, who made the remarks at a news conference in Lagos, recently also said any Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate, defrauded by con men, deserved no sympathy.
The registrar said the board would continue to introduce measures to beat examination malpractice, adding that next year’s examination might have a new registration mode.
“Among the malpractices discovered this year was a case of two different persons having fingerprints for a candidate.
“In this case, it is the impersonator and the person being impersonated conniving with some other persons at the CBT centres.
“However, as they are coming up with all these tricks, we are putting modalities on ground to be ahead of them.
“I want to assure that next year’s examination might not use the current method we used in the examination process.
“People are being criminally innovative, but that will not stop us from moving ahead and protecting the sanctity and integrity of our examination,” Oloyede said.
According to him, those candidates, who might have been defrauded deserve no sympathy because they were looking for ways to circumvent the integrity of the UTME.
“Even parents besiege examination centres, looking for means to `corner’ impersonators to hire in order to help their children pass the examination.
“In this case, it is widely observed that family values have been eroded and it is indeed painful.” Oloyede said.
The registrar said some `mushroom’ computer based testing (CBT) centres had derailed from the set rules.
“They do not deserve to be assisted as some of them, connive to defraud the innocent public as they do anything possible to make money.
“They even create VIP rooms in their centres by extending JAMB cables into a private room, where they write the examination for candidates for a fee.
Oloyede, however, exonerated some centres, saying they had perfected the vision of JAMB.
He added that the board was encouraging such upcoming and prospective CBT centres to key into the board’s vision.
Assessing the conduct of the examination so far, the registrar said the conduct of the examination could be adjudged “free and fair” in spite of few hitches in some centres.
“So far, 1,648,429 candidates have written the CBT mode examination,”
Oloyede said he was in Lagos for an on the spot assessment of some centres in the state.
“I must say that some of these centres did not really meet our standards nor abide by our rules.
“Some of these `mushroom’ centres broke the rules by conniving with some candidates to compromise the integrity of the examination.
“It is indeed sad and painful that parents and even the candidates allow themselves to be defrauded and used by the owners of some of these centres.
“However, so far, it has been good even though we have seen how clever and wise our people can be, having tried to deploy all kinds of shady means to cheat,” he said.
The Tide reports that 1.7 million candidates registered for the 2017 examination.
The Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company Limited (SNEPCo), Elohor Aiboni, said Bonga, Nigeria’s first deep-water asset, has recorded major milestones, due to effective leadership, cutting-edge technology, continuous improvement and collaboration with stakeholders.
She noted that since coming on stream in November 2005, Bonga has maintained a track record of production that saw it achieve one-billion-barrel export on February 13, last year.
In her presentation, titled “The Bonga Journey to a Billion Barrels”, at the ongoing 2024 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, United States, Aiboni, said: “SNEPCo is grateful for the contributions of all the parties to the Bonga story and we can all be proud of the milestones.
“Bonga has been consistent. In 2014, nine years after coming onstream, it achieved half a billion barrels of crude and doubled it in 2023. We have worked relentlessly to ensure excellent asset management, project and wells delivery and deployment of technology and innovations in our operations”.
According to her, these factors, “coupled with the supportive partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and our co-venturers – TotalEnergies, EP Nigeria Limited; Nigerian Agip Exploration; and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, make Bonga stand out as a world-class investment case”.
She continued that, “SNEPCo also enjoyed the support of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in the success of Bonga operations”.
Aiboni also listed the challenges of keeping the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel full as the asset ages and dealing with unexpected developments with subsea wells and equipment.
She said: “SNEPCo responded with a campaign of operational excellence, which among other initiatives, led to the creation of a programme known as the Bonga Business Improvement Plan that continually reviews and identifies improvement initiatives and drives sustainability in operations and upskilling of staff.
“The Bonga success story has been led by Nigerians who have been managing directors of SNEPCo since it was established in 1993, in a deliberate policy by Shell to develop indigenous manpower for deep-water operations in Nigeria.
“Today, some 97percent of the SNEPCo workforce is Nigerian and overall, Bonga has helped to create a new generation of Nigerian deep-water professionals.
“Our vision at SNEPCo remains to be the best deep-water business, powering growth and achieving net zero emissions in line with Shell’s Powering Progress strategy”.
Banks’ borrowings from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) fell month-on-month, (MoM) by 44 percent to N12.16 trillion in April from N21.7 trillion in March.
Analysis of latest data from the CBN shows that the 44percent drop represents the first MoM decline in banks borrowing from since January when it increased by 268.7 percent to N3.6 trillion from N976.29 billion in December 2023.
However, further analysis showed that banks’ deposits in the CBN SDF grew MoM by 118.4 percent to N428.97 billion in April from N196.37 billion in March 2024.
Banks make use of the SLF to access liquidity to run their day-to-day business operations while the Standing Deposit Facility window (SDF) on the other hand, is an overnight deposit facility that allows banks to lodge excess liquidity (money) with the CBN and earn interest.
The decline in banks’ borrowing from SLF may reflect an increase in banking system liquidity and also the decision of the apex bank last year to remove the limit on the remunerable daily placements by banks at the SDF.
According to the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the CBN removed the cap on the remunerable SDF to increase activity in the SDF window and manage liquidity.
A Financial technology expert, Olatunji Akinrinola, has highlighted the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, which according to him, was driven by technological advancements.
Akinrinola made this assertion in a press release recently, where he stressed that the role of technology in driving this exponential growth in the FinTech sector was very outstanding.
According to him, Technology has revolutionised the way financial services are delivered, making them more accessible, efficient, and inclusive.
“Through innovations such as mobile banking, digital payments, and blockchain technology, FinTech companies have been able to reach a larger population and provided them with access to financial services”, he stated.
Akinrinola emphasised the role of technology in enabling financial inclusion, adding: “Technology has democratised access to financial services, particularly in regions with limited banking infrastructure.
“Mobile money platforms and digital wallets have empowered individuals to conduct financial transactions conveniently and securely, without the need for traditional banking services”.
He also underscored the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics in driving innovation within the FinTech industry, noting: “AI-powered algorithms and predictive analytics have revolutionised risk assessment, fraud detection, and customer personalisation in financial services.
“These technologies enable FinTech companies to provide tailored solutions and mitigate risks more effectively, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience”.
Akinrinola stressed the importance of regulatory frameworks in fostering the growth of the FinTech industry.
“While technology has accelerated the growth of FinTech, it is essential to establish robust regulatory frameworks to ensure consumer protection and maintain market stability. Regulators play a crucial role in balancing innovation with risk management, thereby creating a conducive environment for the sustainable growth of the FinTech sector”, he stated.
Akinrinola underscored the role of technology in driving the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, saying, “Technology has been a game-changer for the FinTech sector, enabling innovation, expanding access to financial services, and driving economic growth.
“As technology continues to evolve, the FinTech industry will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of financial services ecosystem”.
Corlins Walter
