By Wole Mosadomi Minna—National Examinations Council, NECO, yesterday released the results of the 2015 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination with considerable improved performances by candidates in both English and Mathematics. Announcing the results at the Council’s Headquarters in Minna, NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, Professor Abdulrashid Garba, lamented that despite the sensitization against examination malpractices, the desperation by candidates to cheat and engage in malpractices was still very high. UTME-Candidates-at-Exam-Cen Examination candidates According to him, although 50,060 candidates were registered, but 47,507 and 47,554 sat for English Language and Mathematics respectively. The performance of candidates by subject reveals that out of 47,507 that sat for English Language, 29,718 representing 62.55% obtained credit pass. In Mathematics, 47,554 sat for the subject and 32,484 or 68.30% passed with credit. Out of 39,389 candidates that sat for Biology, 17,227 or 43.73% obtained credit pass, while in Chemistry, out of 22,284 candidates that sat for the examination, 11,951 representing 53.63% made it at credit level. Similarly, out of 22,201 candidates who sat for Physics, 818 or 3.68% passed the subject at credit level. In Geography, 19, 781 candidates sat for the examination, and 3,851 or 19.46% passed at credit level. The performance of candidates in Government indicates that out of 23,497 candidates that wrote the subject, 10,226 or 43.52% made it at credit level. In Economics, 39,406 candidates sat for the examination and 23,991 or 60.88% passed the subject at credit level. The Registrar explained that “in view of the fact that the examination was for private candidates who were no longer in the school system and looking for one or two credits, the desperation to engage in malpractice was high. This led to an increase in the percentage of candidates involved in malpractice, compared to the figure for 2014.” Professor Garba said the Council was however devising more practical ways to curb the malpractice level, just as the candidates were devising new methods to cheat. A comparative analysis of malpractice cases by subject revealed that while 635 cases were recorded in English Language in 2014, 1,075 cases were recorded in 2015. Also, in Mathematics, 634 cases of malpractice were in 2014 while 1,799 were recorded in 2015. The analysis also showed that in Economics, 570 cases of malpractice were recorded while 880 were recorded in 2015. In Government, 363 cases were recorded in 2014 while 564 were recorded in 2015. Also, in Physics 316 cases of malpractice were recorded in 2014 while 613 were recorded in 2015. In Chemistry, 285 cases were recorded in 2014 while 539 were recorded in 2015.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/neco-boss-says-62-score-credit-in-english-68-in-maths/

By Wole Mosadomi Minna—National Examinations Council, NECO, yesterday released the results of the 2015 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination with considerable improved performances by candidates in both English and Mathematics. Announcing the results at the Council’s Headquarters in Minna, NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, Professor Abdulrashid Garba, lamented that despite the sensitization against examination malpractices, the desperation by candidates to cheat and engage in malpractices was still very high. UTME-Candidates-at-Exam-Cen Examination candidates According to him, although 50,060 candidates were registered, but 47,507 and 47,554 sat for English Language and Mathematics respectively. The performance of candidates by subject reveals that out of 47,507 that sat for English Language, 29,718 representing 62.55% obtained credit pass. In Mathematics, 47,554 sat for the subject and 32,484 or 68.30% passed with credit. Out of 39,389 candidates that sat for Biology, 17,227 or 43.73% obtained credit pass, while in Chemistry, out of 22,284 candidates that sat for the examination, 11,951 representing 53.63% made it at credit level. Similarly, out of 22,201 candidates who sat for Physics, 818 or 3.68% passed the subject at credit level. In Geography, 19, 781 candidates sat for the examination, and 3,851 or 19.46% passed at credit level. The performance of candidates in Government indicates that out of 23,497 candidates that wrote the subject, 10,226 or 43.52% made it at credit level. In Economics, 39,406 candidates sat for the examination and 23,991 or 60.88% passed the subject at credit level. The Registrar explained that “in view of the fact that the examination was for private candidates who were no longer in the school system and looking for one or two credits, the desperation to engage in malpractice was high. This led to an increase in the percentage of candidates involved in malpractice, compared to the figure for 2014.” Professor Garba said the Council was however devising more practical ways to curb the malpractice level, just as the candidates were devising new methods to cheat. A comparative analysis of malpractice cases by subject revealed that while 635 cases were recorded in English Language in 2014, 1,075 cases were recorded in 2015. Also, in Mathematics, 634 cases of malpractice were in 2014 while 1,799 were recorded in 2015. The analysis also showed that in Economics, 570 cases of malpractice were recorded while 880 were recorded in 2015. In Government, 363 cases were recorded in 2014 while 564 were recorded in 2015. Also, in Physics 316 cases of malpractice were recorded in 2014 while 613 were recorded in 2015. In Chemistry, 285 cases were recorded in 2014 while 539 were recorded in 2015.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/neco-boss-says-62-score-credit-in-english-68-in-maths/

Buhari’s Foreign Trips

Some Nigerians have continued to express concern over what appears to be the numerous foreign trips so far carried out by President Muhammadu Buhari. Curiously, since his inauguration as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, May 29, 2015, Buhari has visited nearly 30 countries. There have been justifications and rationalisations of the President’s globe-trotting especially by his aides. We have often been told that the visits are for the good of the nation. They always added that Nigeria would soon start reaping the fruits or the benefits of the President’s foreign engagements, especially in the face of the various bilateral and multilateral agreements Nigeria entered with host-nations.

As a matter of fact, issues of terrorism, corruption and Foreign Direct Investment [FDI], among others, have remained Nigeria’s strategic interests for the foreign trips. Whether these goals and aspirations have been attained or not it suffices to say that Nigeria, for instance, needs international collaborations to fight the Boko Haram terrorist group which has continued to decimate the northern part of the country. There is also the need for Nigeria to get back its looted funds stashed in foreign banks by some corrupt Nigerians.

Well enough, the President has presented these issues on the discussion table wherever he has been. However, it does not help us when these foreign trips become so frequent as they are the case nowadays. The nation is presently facing enormous challenges, which need to be urgently tackled by the Government. Certainly we need to build strong institutions and develop our productive capacities for a virile economy. We need to work seriously on the difficult issue of dearth of infrastructure. Power outage and poor power supply have remained disincentive to investment whether local or foreign as well as industrial growth. Again, insecurity, armed robbery, kidnapping, suicide bombings, vandalism and other crimes have continued to discourage foreign investors hence the nation’s investment flow and portfolio have been quite low. In the face of these obvious insecurity and economic instability at the domestic environment, junketing the globe frequently may not be the best option for Mr. President.

We believe that until he stays around, solutions to some of these national challenges may not be found. The President should be wary of advisers and bureaucrats who might have been planning and scheduling these foreign trips. Indeed, presidential foreign trips though in order in several cases, are becoming increasingly inauspicious for the Nigerian state at the moment. Nigerians want to see more of their President to renew their hope. In local parlance, it is often said that he whose house is on fire should not leave it to chase rats. Solutions to the country’s problems are certainly within and not anywhere. Not a few Nigerians believe that despite the tremendous goodwill with which President Buhari rode to power during and after 2015 polls, the West still appears hesitant and sceptical about helping Nigeria fix some of her challenges.

We advise the President to take a break for now; he may need foreign trips considering his background as almost one of the least exposed Nigerian leaders but most of these trips are not well managed for the image and benefits of the country. There is no gain saying that what is obtainable at the domestic scene defines a country’s stature at the international arena. Therefore, given the continuous fall in the price of crude oil and the value of the Naira, among other woes, President Buhari needs to suspend foreign trips for now and fix things for the benefits of the suffering masses who yearn to witness the change agenda of the present administration. We should put our house in order before going cap in hand in the name of frivolous foreign trips.
For now, this is the minimum expectation of Nigerians.

 

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/activities-of-economic-terrorists-behind-fall-of-naira-agf/

Activities of ‘economic terrorists’ behind fall of Naira — AGF

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/activities-of-economic-terrorists-behind-fall-of-naira-agf/

Activities of ‘economic terrorists’ behind fall of Naira — AGF

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/activities-of-economic-terrorists-behind-fall-of-naira-agf/

Activities of ‘economic terrorists’ behind fall of Naira — AGF

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/activities-of-economic-terrorists-behind-fall-of-naira-agf/

ABUJA—The Federal Government, yesterday, blamed the current state of the Naira on orchestrated criminal conspiracies and manipulation by “unscrupulous elements hiding under the cloak of market forces”. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who made the allegation while briefing newsmen in Abuja, said certain disturbing developments confirmed initial suspicion of the government that the currency was being deliberately undermined by those he branded “economic terrorists”.buhari-Naira He said: “As a responsible government, we cannot allow such a situation anchored on unlawful alliances and criminal enterprise to continue unchecked, when it is apparent that its primary objective is to sabotage the economic agenda of the present administration.” He alleged that the elements, having failed in their attempts to force devaluation of the Naira, aligned to create an artificial currency situation whose primary purpose was to undermine the economic programme of Buhari’s administration. He said: “We are witnessing manipulative and coordinated speculative activities in the foreign exchange market leading to the current wide differential between the official rate at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the parallel market rate, respectively, in a manner that defies rational economic analysis. “These nefarious speculative activities exert further pressure on the Naira exchange rate and have created a very wide artificial differential between the aforesaid two rates which are now being exploited by unscrupulous individuals and institutions. “Accordingly, the differential has given rise to sharp practices and rent seeking activities by these entities that run contrary to various provisions of the laws governing the conduct of the foreign exchange market and our anti-money laundering regime.” He said some of the noticed infractions included round-tripping of foreign exchange sourced from the Interbank Market, rendition of false foreign exchange utilisation data, non-repatriation of export proceeds, among others. His words: “In consonance with the policy thrust of this administration to have a zero-tolerance level for corruption, I have therefore directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other relevant security agencies to further investigate and confirm the information already available to government about the nefarious activities of these elements within and outside our national institutions.” Besides, the AGF, said government was aware of the insidious activities of certain cabal within some strategic national institutions, who rather than exert their regulatory powers, have chosen to use their accomplices within the system to manipulate the foreign exchange market for personal corrupt gains to the detriment of the national economy. He said measure were already in place to deal with the infractions decisively, adding that relevant security agencies are on the red alert to investigate and prosecute the culprits. Let me emphasize that the Federal Government will pursue this initiative with all the resources at its disposal as the activities of this group, in our view, amounts to acts of economic terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “Our response will therefore be decisive, robust and sustained in order to save our national economy. Pursuant to the outcome of the investigations, all persons indicted will be brought to book and will face prosecution in due course”. Malami said the federal government would in the next few days, evolve a broad-based strategy to stabilise the market and ensure our national economic survival. He said the Federal Ministry of Justice would collaborate with the CBN to ensure that it remained alive to its punitive responsibilities by way of ensuring that breaches and infractions were punished and all identified loopholes blocked. Nevertheless, the AGF, acknowledged that in the light of current economic realities, it has become apparent to all objective and discerning observers that there is an urgent need to review Nigeria’s foreign exchange market. He however noted that the current state of the economy has led to a very healthy public debate about appropriate response expected of the government. “While there have been an outcry for the government to reject calls for devaluation of the currency, there is no doubt the government has also been assailed by calls from several quarters to adopt the theoretical policy response of devaluating the Naira, in order to absorb the demand pressure of the currency”. The AGF observed that both President Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo had repeatedly restated the position of their administration to the effect that devaluation was not an option, as “it is counter-productive and has the potential to cause even more dislocations in the economy, particularly against the backdrop of our current status as a largely import-dependent economy”. “In addition, government has emphatically restated its priority responses which will be geared towards moves to diversify the economy, promote greater accountability within the system through the blocking of all revenue loopholes, undertake a robust asset-recovery process in Nigeria and overseas and prosecute all treasury looters in accordance with the law”, the AGF added.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/activities-of-economic-terrorists-behind-fall-of-naira-agf/