The Anambra State Government has announced the constitution of a eight-member panel of inquiry to thoroughly investigate the alleged Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results forgery levelled against one Miss Mmesoma Ejike.
Mmesoma, an indigene of Anambra, has been at the centre of a UTME results forgery allegation. She was accused by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of falsifying her 2023 UTME results of 249 to 362 to attract recognitions.
In a statement chronicling the genesis of the saga issued by Sir Paul Nwosu, Commissioner for Information, he noted that the State Government has, for obvious reasons, been following the JAMB/Mmesoma Ejike matter with keen interest.
Nwosu explained that Mmesoma had gone to the office of the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh with her UTME result to protest that JAMB didn’t recognise her as the candidate with the highest score in the 2023 UTME.
He explained that the Education Commissioner had in turn called JAMB to confirm the candidate’s claim but she was told that Mmesoma’s result was forged.
“It was at this point that JAMB authorities invited the Directorate of State Services (DSS) to investigate the matter and make its findings known,” Nwosu said.
“This was yet to happen when JAMB went public with the matter, thus eliciting the raucous conversations we’ve seen in the media.
“It is not our wish to join the slanging match or take sides at this stage. But as a responsible government we have decided to undertake an independent investigation into the matter,” the statement added.
Members of the Committee include Prof. Nkemdili Nnonyelu as Chairman, with Prof. Mercy Okonkwo, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, Prof. Maduabuchi Dukor, and Prof. Jaja Nwanegbo as members.
Other members are Rev. Sr. Prof. Mary-Felicia Opara, Rev. Cannon Dr. Uchenna Umeifekwem, and Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, MD, Anambra Information Communication Technology Agency.
The statement further noted that findings of the Committee shall be made public.
