JAMB PARTNERS WITH EFCC

JOINT Admission and Matriculation Board,
JAMB, is on the long queue of organisations
waiting for the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, to help them do their
work. JAMB wants EFCC to assist it in stopping
examination malpractices.
Professor Dibu Ojerinde, JAMB’s Registrar, on
a visit to the agency sought its help. It is
doubtful if Professor Ojerinde remembers
what the EFCC does. If his visit was in search
of solutions to examination malpractices, the
challenge could have overwhelmed him to the
point that he was seeking solutions
everywhere, excluding the police.
He is not the only one. Everyone invites EFCC
to solve all criminal puzzles. These requests
do not consider the mandate of EFCC, its
limited resources and more limited success in
discharging its primary mandate of fighting
financial crimes.
The banks keep perfecting their under-hand
businesses. Government allocations are stolen
with the thieves confident they would face no
harm. Financial transactions are stymied in
breaches, some of which are mysteries to
EFCC because of the sophistication of
criminals.
Where will EFCC have the time to add
examination malpractices to its brief?
How many operatives does the EFCC have to
dedicate some to JAMB, possibly posting them
to hundreds of examination centres
nationwide? Did Professor Ojerinde want to be
seen to be “on top of the problem” or was he
interested in solutions?
EFCC is gradually becoming a reason for not
getting anything done. When organisations
are not ready to re-assess their internal
processes to ensure they support their work,
they run to EFCC, aware the agency has so
much to do, that their case would not get
immediate attention.
Pension scams, electoral frauds, bribe-seeking
legislators, are among cases EFCC noses into
with engaging eagerness that whittles as its
resources dwindle or another major headline
breaks. Where will EFCC fit JAMB in its busy
schedule?
JAMB is in the best position to commission
security experts, vast in examination
organisation, to guide its operations. Without
the collaboration of JAMB invigilators and its
officials, malpractices would not be possible.
It does not need EFCC to do this.
Except for the current practice of
organisations announcing every intention, a
JAMB visit to EFCC to seek possible
collaboration should not be a matter for
publicity as it gives opportunity to criminals
to be ahead of JAMB.
On its part, EFCC should have the modesty to
admit it cannot do everything. It appears
consumed by its over-promoted importance
that it has no qualms delving into cases
including marital dispute as long as anyone
can hint at a possible link to a financial
transaction and there are headlines to make.
EFCC needs more focus in its rather daunting
operations.