UTME 2017: JAMB warns protesting candidates, ‘we've not commenced change of course’

ITRealms:

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on Thursday said it has not commenced the `Change of Course or Correction of Data’ for candidates who sat for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), reports ITRealms.

The organization, ITRealms reports, was reacting to reports reaching its Headquarters in Abuja that a large crowd of candidates who wished to effect such changes had on Wednesday and Thursday besieged its Lagos office in Ikoyi.

JAMB spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a press statement issued in Jos, the Plateau State capital, and made available to ITRealms, said the development has therefore "created unnecessary anxiety and chaos where there should be none."

"This announcement became necessary following the crowd in our offices demanding for such services. The request for correction of data is usually from candidates who provided wrong information while filling their application document online.

"The change of institutions is basically for those who are considering other preferences other than their initial choices and were misled to believe that the board has started such services and will soon closed.

"We want to make it clear that when we open the window for correction of data and change of course, we will do an elaborate sensitization on it and we shall continue with the services until the commencement of admission process.

“Let us again assure all candidates desirous of carrying out the correction of data or change of institution that the board will ensure that enough time is given for them to do so.

"Again, it will be good to also let these candidates and other stakeholders know that the board has not finished the conduct of the 2017 UTME. The Board is still conducting examinations for those who had registered late and those who could not be verified during examination and as such it will be unfair to them to open window for such correction and changes at the same time.

"Our reforms are meant to make our services accessible to all conveniently. When we open the window, we shall also collaborate with credible stakeholders like the University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology and JKK all in Lagos, in an attempt to decentralize the services and others in other states. This will ease the pressure in on our various offices and ensure a hitch-free process."

JAMB, ITRealms recalled, conducted examination for over 1.7 million candidates who registered for the UTME which commenced on May 13.

"Results of most of the candidates had already been released, while some others were yet to be released, as they were undergoing scrutiny by the board for any examination malpractice", Benjamin said.

Uj. N. Dom/GEE 

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Ghana pilots visa-on-arrival for African nationals

ITRealms:

The Ghanaian Immigration Service has commenced the pilot phase of visa on arrival for all African Union nationals, reports ITRealms.

This innovation as agreed recently by AU, ITRealms is novel and could mean a transformation of Africa as its citizens now have the opportunity of seeking visa, especially those outside the current visa free agreement with other countries with anticipation of boosting tourism.

Till date, Ghana seems to pioneer this implementation in Africa.

According to a press statement endorsed on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Immigration by the Head of Public Affairs of GIS, Mr. Francis Palmdeti, in a memo dated July 8, 2016, Ghana says this exercise takes immediate effect.

“All African Union nationals whose countries do not have a visa free agreement with Ghana would be able to obtain visas on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA),” part of the statement read.

ITRealms also gathered that this current arrangement would be piloted at KIA for the first three months before being extended to all other entry points of the country.

The Comptroller-General recalls that in his state of the nation address on February 26, 2016, His Excellency, President John Dremani Mahama informed parliament that all AU nationals will from July 2016 be issued with visas on arrival following a decision taken at the Executive Council Meeting of the Africa Union.

The GIS being the government agency mandated to regulate migrant flows into the country, intends to ensure the smooth implementation of this new policy.

As said by the Comptroller-General, the service in line with this directive has initiated the modalities to give effect to the policy.

These modalities include that all AU nationals affected by this policy who arrive in the country must have a passport, valid for at least three (3) months, from the date of entry.

Also, such migrant GIS said, they must have a return ticket or evidence of onward travel and sufficient funds and proof of accommodation before they are granted visas.

All such visas, GIS noted, would be issued for validity of 30 days, even as they would be subject to the provisions of Section 4 of the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573) which applies to all travelers entering Ghana.

GIS further beckoned on the public, foreign missions and embassies to take note these modalities, reassuring that GIS would continue to execute its mandate professionally and effectively with the intention of making Ghana an attractive destination to investors and tourists.

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