Reps direct JAMB to suspend proposed use of NIN for UTME

Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives, yesterday, directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to suspend the proposed use of the National Identity Number (NIN) in the registration of candidates for its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), until at least 80 per cent of Nigerians have been enrolled in the National Identity card scheme.

This followed the adoption a motion by Zainab Gimba, drawing the attention of the House to plans by JAMB to include NIN as part of the requirements for registration for UTME,  beginning from 2020.

Gimba,  in her lead debate,  said the policy was too hasty and would deny several young Nigerians the opportunity to sit for the UTME, thereby denying them opportunity to acquire  tertiary education.

The lawmaker argued that  there was need  for the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to create more registration centres,  especially in  rural areas,  as well  as embark on adequate sensitisation before such a policy could be enforced .

“Younger Nigerians and minors constitute the larger number of those yet to be captured by NIMC mainly due to the prior registration criteria which captured only persons aged 18 and above. …registration for the 2020 UTME is billed to commence in December 2019 and examinations to commence March 20th, 2020. This means intending candidates have between November and January (three months) to register with NIMC, and subsequently get registered for the UTME,” Gimba stated.

In his contribution,   the chairman,  House Committee  on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi, stated  that majority of the candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions reside in the rural areas and suffer to raise money to pay for JAMB registration.

He argued  that subjecting to travelling to the urban areas,  where the NIMC enrolment centres are located,  so as to obtain the NIN,  will amount to increasing their hardship.

“There are students that go through hell to buy JAMB forms. If you therefore ask them to go and process NIN before getting registered, you will be unfair to them. I would suggest that JAMB should suspend this policy until the NIMC is able to capture at least 80 percent of Nigerians”, Gagdi said.

After the motion was unanimously adopted,  the speaker,  Femi Gbajaabiamila,  who presided over yesterday’s plenary,  referred the issue to the House Committees on Populations and Tertiary Education.Reps direct JAMB to suspend  proposed use of NIN for UTME

The House also directed the relevant House committees to interface with stakeholders to develop modalities to effectively curb the “escalating negative impact” of crude oil spillage in the country.

This followed a unanimous adoption of a motion moved by Rep. Johnson Oghuma during the plenary presided over by the Speaker of the house, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila on Wednesday.

The committees are Environment and Information National Orientation, Ethics and Values.

The motion was tagged “Curbing the Negative Impact of Crude Oil Spill in Nigeria.”

Presenting the motion, Oghuma expressed concern over the rising cases of crude oil spillage in the creeks of the Niger Delta and along the pipelines in the country.