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  • South Africa’s Ramaphosa set to be re-elected even with ANC hammering

    South Africa’s Ramaphosa set to be re-elected even with ANC hammering

    Re-election

    Johannesburg, June 14, 2024 (Reuters/NAN) Cyril Ramaphosa was set on Friday to be re-elected as South Africa’s president, having brokered a deal with the opposition for a government of national unity after his African National Congress’s worst election result since the end of apartheid.
    A skillful negotiator, Ramaphosa clinched a deal with the opposition, the white-led Democratic Alliance, and at least two smaller parties, according to DA and other party officials, as the National Assembly held its first sitting since the election and prepared to elect a head of state.
    That will allow him to remain president and survive – at least for now – the huge drop in support for the ANC when it lost its parliamentary majority in the May 29 election.
    But Ramaphosa, 71, emerged weakened from the vote, and some political analysts have questioned whether he can serve a full second five-year term.
    The ANC won just 40 per cent of the vote, meaning Nelson Mandela’s legacy liberation movement has had to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with rival parties for the first time in 30 years.
    As parliament convened on Friday, the DA said it had signed a deal for a unity government with the ANC.
    The socially conservative Inkatha Freedom Party and the right-wing Patriotic Alliance had previously confirmed that they would also join the coalition.
    Details of the deal were still unclear, aside from that the DA would receive the position of deputy speaker of parliament.
    The ANC still has the largest number of seats in the National Assembly, but Ramaphosa may have to make significant policy concessions to political adversaries or cede senior cabinet positions.
    After the vote, former union leader-turned-businessman Ramaphosa – Mandela’s lead negotiator in talks to end apartheid – received the backing of top ANC officials to stay on.
    But his party is deeply divided, and some of Ramaphosa’s party rivals may not have buried the hatchet for long.
    Ramaphosa’s future as president had hung in the balance before.
    A panel report found in 2022 that he may have committed misconduct over a stash of cash stuffed into furniture at his game farm.
    He denied wrongdoing over that scandal, dubbed “Farmgate”, and won a new five-year term as ANC leader later that year.
    But last month’s election, in which the ANC’s vote share slumped because of voter anger over issues such as high unemployment, crime, and crippling power cuts, could pose an even bigger challenge.
    Ramaphosa was elected ANC leader in late 2017 on a pledge to clean up the party’s image and revitalise the economy after nine years of scandal, sleaze, and economic decline under his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.
    But an initial wave of euphoria when he became head of state in 2018 faded quickly.
    More than six years on, the economy remains stagnant and scandals still swirl around top ANC officials.
    The decisive blow in last month’s election was struck by Ramaphosa’s nemesis Zuma, whose new party uMkhonto we Sizwe outperformed expectations and made a big dent in ANC support, especially in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
    Ramaphosa has been criticised for appearing to prevaricate on crucial reforms to avoid exacerbating rifts in his party – a far cry from the decisiveness he showed as a union leader in the 1980s.
    His supporters, however, applaud his consensus-building skills and his role in advancing South Africa’s reputation as a champion of the so-called “Global South”, shorthand for a group of low- and middle-income countries.
    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramaphosa was one of the most prominent voices globally calling for fairer distribution of vaccines.
    More recently, South Africa filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, leading judges to rule last month that Israel must halt its military assault on the Gaza city of Rafah.
    Israel has rejected the allegations and pressed on with its offensive in Rafah.
    On the campaign trail, Ramaphosa sought to play up the ANC’s successes over the last 30 years, but critics say he has offered little in the way of new solutions to South Africa’s biggest challenges.
    After the vote, he urged parties to bridge their ideological and racial divisions for the good of the country.
    “South Africans expect the parties for which they have voted to find common ground, overcome their differences, and act together for the good of everyone.
    That’s what South Africans have said,” he declared. (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    YEE
    ===
    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • Israeli polls show Netanyahu party narrowing gap behind Gantz

    Israeli polls show Netanyahu party narrowing gap behind Gantz

    Polls

    Jerusalem, June 14, 2024 (Reuters/NAN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party has reduced the gap behind the centrist party of former minister Benny Gantz, who quit the wartime unity government on Sunday, two polls showed on Friday.
    The polls, for the left-wing Ma’ariv daily and the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper, showed Likud winning 21 seats behind the National Unity Party on 24.
    The Ma’ariv poll last week showed Gantz’s party on 27 seats, while at the start of the year, it was regularly polling in the high 30s.
    The Ma’ariv poll shows the current ruling coalition winning 52 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, against 58 for the main opposition parties, with the balance of 10 seats held by the United Arab List and the left-wing Hadash-Ta’al alliance.
    The Israel Hayom poll put the coalition on 50 seats against 61 for the opposition parties and 9 for the UAL and Hadash-Ta’al.
    Both polls showed a majority of voters would prefer Gantz as prime minister in a head-to-head choice with Netanyahu.
    However, the Israel Hayom poll showed that if former prime minister Naftali Bennett were to join forces with Avigdor Liberman and Gideon Saar, two other centre-right politicians from outside the Likud camp, their alliance could beat both Likud and Gantz’s National Unity Party.
    Gantz, a former army general and defence minister in the last government, joined Netanyahu’s coalition last year as a gesture of national unity following the devastating attack by Hamas on Oct 7.
    However, he clashed repeatedly with other ministers and quit the government after demanding Netanyahu articulate a clear strategic plan for the war in Gaza, now in its ninth month.
    Netanyahu, who was widely blamed for the security failures that allowed the Oct. 7 attack to take place, has refused to call early elections and would not normally face voters until 2026 if his coalition with a clutch of religious and right-wing pro-settler parties holds. (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    YEE
    ===
    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • France supports ECOWAS’ decision on Mali, Niger, B/Faso – Envoy

    France supports ECOWAS’ decision on Mali, Niger, B/Faso – Envoy

    French Charge d’Affairs to Nigeria, Jean-Francois Hasperue speaking in an interview at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) headquarters in Abuja.

    Decision

    By Mark Longyen

    Abuja, June 14, 2024  (NAN) The French Chargé d’affaires in Nigeria, Jean-Francois Hasperue, says his country supports the decision of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in February lifting sanctions on Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

    The French envoy stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    It will be recalled that ECOWAS had slammed sanctions on three of the Sahelian countries in 2023 following the takeover of power by the military in their countries.

    ECOWAS leaders, however, rescinded the decision in February, barely a month after the three countries declared their intention to quit the sub-regional bloc and form the Alliance of Sahel States, a parallel group.

    Hasperue stated that France is in support of ECOWAS in whatever it is doing to resolve the Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso imbroglio, to retain them in the sub-regional organization.

    “So, when ECOWAS decided to make a diplomatic gesture towards these countries in February, we supported the decision.

    “As a matter of principle, France and the European Union support political decisions by sub-regional organisations like ECOWAS.

    “We did the same for the East African Community, for example, when the community was mandated to try and help in the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.

    “So, regions decide their political orientation and the international community supports.

    “That’s how we address issues and crises in Africa – in partnership.

    “We’ve been supporting ECOWAS and all its member states in whatever they try to do to alleviate the situation, to help resolve the issues,” he said.

    The French envoy explained that the decision of ECOWAS heads of state to apply sanctions on the three Sahelian countries in August 2023 was not influenced by France.

    “I mean, they, ECOWAS, just looked at the situation in the Sahara region and decided that it was too much.

    “The military coups d’etat were becoming too much, so they decided to try to end that, but France didn’t influence and had nothing to do with the decisions.

    “I mean they (ECOWAS members) are sovereign states that make unanimous decisions for the organisation.

    “They considered that the sub-region was threatened due to the series of coups d’etat.

    “What these military junta were doing was a threat to the security and stability of the sub-region in terms of fighting terrorism, which they were not able to fight efficiently.

    There was also the belief that there could be a spread of the terrorist groups’ activities to other countries in the region.

    “And, as I said earlier, whatever ECOWAS decides, as friends, we will support the decision.

    “That’s the orientation we have taken together,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    YEN/YEE

    ========

    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • High sense of decorum, critical to successful Hajj, cleric tells pilgrims 

  • Hajj: Nigerian pilgrims begin movement to Mina ahead of Arafat

    Hajj

    By Salisu Sani-Idris

    Makkah (Saudi Arabia), June 13, 2024 (NAN) Nigerian pilgrims in white seamless ihram dress, began their slow and steady trek to the tent city of Mina on Thursday night ahead of the day of Arafat scheduled for Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the holy city of Makkah reverberated with chants of “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (O God, here I am answering your call).’./

    More than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world readied themselves for once in a lifetime journey of faith.

    NAN reports that pilgrims will spend the Tarwiyah day on Friday, in the sprawling tent city, marking the beginning of this year’s Hajj.

    They will spend the Tarwiyah day in prayers and meditation in their tents in preparation for Saturday’s standing at Arafat, the pinnacle of the annual pilgrimage of hajj.

    According to the Saudi Gazette, the Saudi authorities have mobilized all their human and material resources to make the pilgrimage hassle-free and a great success.

    The security authorities have completed all their flawless preparations to ensure the safety of pilgrims and security of the Hajj operation.

    The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has mobilized more than 2,000 employees to provide water services for pilgrims.

    The daily pumping rate exceeds 750,000 cubic meters in Makkah and reaches one million cubic meters at peak times on the Day of Arafat and Eid Al-Adha.

    The Ministry of Transport and Logistics prepared the flexible rubber asphalt initiative in the pedestrian walkways in the Holy Sites for Hajj this year.

    The Head of Nigeria’s Medical Team for the 2024 Hajj, urged pilgrims to drink water regularly to avoid dehydration.

    He also emphasised the need for pilgrims required to drink more than two litres of water daily.

    He said that the temperature in the Holy land may likely rise up to forty eight degree Celsius. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    SSI/BRM

    ============

    Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

  • Anti-money laundering report rates Nigeria high

    Participants at GIABA’s event in Dakar, Senegal, on Thursday

     

    Report

    By Abdullahi Mohammed

    Dakar, June 13, 2024 (NAN) GIABA, an inter-governmental action group against money laundering in West Africa, says Nigeria recorded significant achievements in its war against money laundering and terrorism financing in 2023.

    GIABA said this in its 2023 annual report unveiled for ambassadors of member states, technical and financial partners on Thursday in Dakar, Senegal.

    According to the report, Nigeria made progress in addressing the technical compliance identified in GIABA’s Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) in relation to various recommendations made to the country.

    The report further said Nigeria had taken several measures to promote transparency and accountability in the administration and management of Non Profit Organisations (NPOs).

    It added that the country also raised awareness in the financial sector about the vulnerabilities to Terrorist Financing (TF), developed and refined best practices in collaboration with the NPOs sector to address the deficiencies and challenge information on NPOs suspected to be at risk in terrorism abuse.

    “Nigeria demonstrated that it has mechanisms for international cooperation and procedures to respond to international requests for information on NPOs suspected of terrorist financing or involved in other forms of support for terrorists.

    “Nigeria demonstrated that it has a system for maintaining statistics on its Anti-money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system,” the report said.

    Despite the progress made in the country, the report, however, said the requirements for application of simplified due diligence measures were not consistent with the country’s assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing risks.

    It added that the country did not demonstrate compliance with its internal procedures to designate target pursuit to United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR).

    The report noted that GIABA had discussed and adopted the MERs of Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Guinea, which indicated that 88 per cent of the member states had been assessed.

    It said the performance of Cote d’Ivoire showed that the country required major improvements in its AML/CFT regime in relation to its understanding of the risks, among others.

    Similarly, the report said Liberia had demonstrated low effectiveness on 10 of the 11 parameters, noting that its shortcomings had impacted effectiveness such as lack of comprehensiveness of National Risk Assessment (NRA) in some areas.

    It also said Guinea demonstrated low effectiveness on all the 11 parameters, indicating that the country required fundamental improvements of AML/CFT regimes.

    Earlier, GIABA’s Director General, Mr Edwin Harris Jr, said this year marked the 24th anniversary of the fight against money laundering, “a mandate that has evolved to adapt to changes, and which now includes the fight against the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

    “GIABA is the response to the call of the international community for an alliance against transnational organised crime and its harmful effects on peace, security, stability and economic development of our member states.

    “In June 2006, through relentless efforts and stakeholders’ mobilisation, GIABA was granted the status of a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-Style Regional Body (FSRB) and in June 2010 became an Associate Member of FATF.

    “There is no doubt that our West African space is highly vulnerable to carry with it many consequences of money laundering and terrorist financing, and without a strong political commitment to combat it, the negative impacts on our economies will be enormous,” he said.

    The director general said it was important for all the stakeholders to fully understand the need to take ownership of the fight and appreciate their contribution to building economies and by extension, the communities to achieve GIABA’s desired common prosperity.

    “This is also in line with the core objective of the GIABA’s Strategic Plan 2023-2027 that focuses on sensitisation for the benefit of the various targeted audiences,” he said.

    Despite challenges posed by the changing global trends and emerging threats, Harris said GIABA had focused its interventions on protecting national economies and their financial and banking systems from laundering the proceeds of crime and combating the financing of terrorism.

    He said the organisation had also improved measures, intensified efforts to combat the laundering of proceeds of crime and strengthened national and international cooperation.

    “Beyond information, these sessions aim to encourage the governments of member states to act in the relevant areas of the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing for the integrity of their economic and financial systems.

    “By so doing, we are calling on you all to add your voices to the authorities back home, to strengthen the AML/CFT regimes in your countries,” Harris said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports GIABA is a specialised institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for strengthening the capacity of member states toward the prevention and control of money laundering and terrorist financing in the region.

    In addition to that, GIABA also grants observer status to African, non-African states and inter-governmental organisations that support its objectives and actions that apply for observer status. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    AOM/SA

    Edited by Salif Atojoko

    ================

  • U.S. CDC director, Benue Gov. commission model lab

    Theroux, 2nd from left, Suzanne and Gov Alia, 3rd from left, Gov Alia during the commissioning of the lab on Thursday in Makurdi.

    U.S. CDC director, Benue Gov. commission model lab

    Lab

    By Mark Longyen

    Abuja, June 13, (2024) Acting country director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), Suzanne Theroux and Benue State Gov. Hyacinth Alia on Thursday commissioned a molecular laboratory at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Makurdi, the agency stated on Thursday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lab was renovated with funds and technical assistance from the U.S. CDC via the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

    Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Ms SuzanneTheroux said that with the commissioning done, FMC Makurdi was now a model lab for the rest of Nigeria and commended their focus on quality management.

    “Using state-of-the-art medical laboratory technology, the lab can now conduct HIV viral load and early infant diagnosis testing.

    “The lab can also carry out molecular tests for other priority diseases including tuberculosis, COVID-19, hepatitis, and HPV,” she said.

    U.S. CDC explained that the high-quality data provided by the lab would help in facilitating integrated service delivery for patients at healthcare facilities.

    It added that this would also strengthen the state’s capacity to detect and quickly respond to disease threats.

    “FMC Makurdi currently tests more than 200,000 patient samples annually.

    “The facility is one of the top molecular labs in the PEPFAR-Global Fund-supported molecular lab network,” the organisation said. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

    YEN/AMM

    =========

    Edited by Abiemwense Moru

  • NAN pledges to deepen partnership with Francophone countries

    3rd from right (sitting): The Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali, with the agency’s management (standing) and the envoys during a courtesy visit to the NAN MD on Thursday in Abuja. (NAN).


    NAN pledges to deepen partnership with Francophone countries

    Partnership

    By Fortune Abang/Mark Longyen

    Abuja, June 13, 2024 (NAN) The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has pledged to partner with French-speaking countries leveraging the agency’s wide reach.

    The Managing Director of the agency, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, pledged NAN’s partnership in Abuja on Thursday when he received in his office a delegation of francophone countries’ ambassadors in Nigeria, led by their Chairman and Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Yanko Yordanov.

    According to him, such partnerships will enhance media and diplomatic relations between their countries and Nigeria.

    Ali noted that NAN has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and that more would be done to deepen relations with other Francophone countries.

    “Your team’s visit here is the first of its kind to the agency; it is a pioneering record under your leadership.

    “Beyond speaking French, it is important for us as an agency to understand and speak more than one language. It is crucial for some of us in the agency to understand and speak French.

    “So we are ready to partner, not just for the language. As a management, I think we will make it a policy now for all the directors to learn French.

    “It is in the vanguard of the promotion of democracy, protection of human rights, and universal rights and franchise that we have a sole aim in the agency,” he said.

    Ali told the visitors that the agency has also established partnerships with many media and wire service organisations worldwide.

    He listed some of them as Reuters, AFP, Russian News Agency, and Xhinua of China.

    He added that the agency has plans to revive its operations in French-speaking countries.

    “Our reform in the agency is to open some of our offices in French-speaking countries. We have one office in Cote d’Ivoire; we want to send our reporters to places like that and other Francophone places.

    “I am sure with the partnership with ambassadors of Francophone countries, it will be a lot easier to project Africa more to the rest of the world.

    “NAN is the biggest media organisation on the continent, and we used to have foreign offices across the continent.

    “Up to this moment, we are the only resident media organisation from West Africa that is in the United Nations.

    “We have offices in New York and Johannesburg. So this is a partnership we dearly welcome. I am positive that through partnership with Francophone countries, we will go places.

    “I do not doubt that a new chapter in the history of Francophone countries interfacing with Anglophone, especially Nigeria being the leader, is opened and the group will go places,” Ali said.  

    Speaking earlier on behalf of his colleagues, Amb. Yordanov explained that the group comprised 25 members, saying that ‘La Francophone’ is mostly associated with the French language.

    He said that the idea and mission of the group is to promote democracy, the rule of law, and all the human values protecting the rights of all and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the United Nations.

    “So as you see, a group that is promoting democracy is logically cooperating with the largest democracy in Africa.

    “At the same time, we believe that when it comes to democracy, the media is one of the most important indicators we have.

    “So we decided to engage with NAN as the largest news agency in Africa and a great partner of many of us bilaterally.

    “We will be very grateful if we can explore more opportunities for cooperation,” Yordanov said.

    NAN reports that the delegation included the French Charge d’Affairs, Jean-Francois Hasperue; Tunisian Ambassador, Mohsen Antit; Republic of Congo Ambassador, Fernand Ondako.

    Others were Republic of Guinea Ambassador, Siaka Cissoko; Ivory Coast’s First Counsellor, Cisse Karim; and Bulgarian Counsellor, Margarita Nikolova. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    FDA/YEN/YEE

    ===========

    (Edited by Mark Longyen/Emmanuel Yashim)

  • EU consultant says AI, art can play significant roles in food security

    EU consultant says AI, art can play significant roles in food security

    Technology

    By Patricia Amogu

    Abuja, June 13, 2024 (NAN) Patricia Carvalho, a Policy Support Consultant of the European Union (EU) said science, technology in the form of Artificial Intelligence (AI), arts, and culture have significant roles to play in ensuring food security in Africa.

    Carvalho said this via webinar in the course of a media briefing organised to unveil the S-T-ARTS4AFRICA Programme, an art-driven initiative aimed at creating opportunities for African artists to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to proffer solutions.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the S-T-ARTS4AFRICA Programme is an initiative driven in Nigeria by the Gallery of Code, a research, development, and consulting agency.

    The EU consultant said it would be intriguing to get to the core of what artists could achieve in promoting food security and access to clean water using science and technology tools such as AI.

    “We believe that science, technology, arts, and culture can play a significant role in tackling socio-economic and ecological challenges that are science-related.

    “Through host institutions like the Gallery of Code, using an already existing approach from the European continent, we are connecting local and international artists with regional stakeholders to boost synergy among continents.

    “Currently, there are eight residencies going on in Africa under the S-T-ARTS4AFRICA programme.

    “One of the residencies is in Nigeria. The second one is in Tanzania. The third one is in Senegal, and there are two in Ghana, among others.

    “At the end of the projects, there will be a final event in Senegal to bring all the residency hosts together at a meeting point to connect.

    “It is a short project but not a one-off collaboration, and I believe that lessons will be taken away from it and will be applied across continents,” she said.

    She reaffirmed EU’s commitment to supporting the programme and praised the visual artist that the Gallery of Code is working with to design a yam barn.

    Speaking at the briefing, Mr Oscar Ekponimo, the Managing Director of Gallery of Code, stated that the initiative is a dedicated version of STARTS for Africa, an EU-led intervention in Nigeria.

    “STARTS was initiated in 2016 but now there is a dedicated version for Africa.

    “This is the first phase and the first time this is coming up in Africa and a Nigerian has been selected from among 300 applicants.

    “Jibril Baba, a visual artist, has just been awarded a grant to support his project – a smart technology (model) that will address food storage challenges, boost food production, and curb rising food insecurity gaps in Nigeria,” he said.

    Ekponimo stated that the EU is pushing for innovations, with an artistic perspective because innovation is more practical and impactful when it is artistically driven.

    “Our visual artist that has been selected is to implement a model yam barn that will use artificial intelligence to monitor the change in climate conditions and also check the air quality around the yams, as well as monitor the possibility of spoilage.

    “This will automatically control food wastage and address food insecurity.

    “This will be the first of its kind but the project is still at the take-off stage,

    “We have just finished the reflection stage and going further to the actualisation stage.

    “I am happy to say that there will be a final exhibition in Nigeria and our artist has also been selected to exhibit at a festival that will be held in Austria early in September,” he added.

    Dr Femi Adeluyi, the National Co-ordinator, National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), a new initiative of the Federal Government, said the project “is in full alignment with what the President Bola Tinubu administration seeks to achieve by investing in the creative industry.

    “This is a good model that could be enhanced and made elaborate.

    “Today it’s yams we are focusing on. Tomorrow it could be another agricultural product, and we can leverage this one.

    “We want opportunities where our artists can showcase their skills and our products abroad and then benefit from such investments.

    “This can enhance our socio-economic strength, and it shows we have a lot of value that we can bring to the table,” he said.

    Speaking on the initiative, Baba said the core of the project “is a prototype yam barn; a modular storage system where yams will be slotted into storage spaces and use sensors that can check the climate conditions, and air quality and equally shield the yams from too much sunlight.

    “During our preliminary research we visited different states in the Northeastern part of the country and discovered that out of 1,500 yam tubers harvested, 600 are lost due to lack of a good storage system.”

    According to him, the production of the yam barn can help reduce wastage due to spoilage while increasing productivity and strengthening the chances of ensuring food security in Nigeria. (NAN)

    PAO/YEE

    =======

    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • India to re-conduct medical entrance exam over scam

    India to re-conduct medical entrance exam over scam
    Exam
    New Delhi, June 13, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN)  The Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to re-conduct the medical entrance examination (undergraduate) for as many as 1,563 students on doubts about a “scam.”
    The re-examination would be conducted on June 23, and the result would be declared within a week.
    Over 2.3 million students had appeared for the medical entrance examination (undergraduate), or the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG), held on May 5.
    The direction came after a petition was filed before the apex court alleging irregularities in the way “grace marks” were given to a section of students.
    NEET-UG result was declared on June 4.
    A total of 67 students had scored 100 per cent marks, out of whom as many as seven students had attempted the test at the same examination-center in the northern state of Haryana.
    Students raised doubts immediately after the result was announced, particularly when it was discovered that some students had scored 719 and 718 marks out of 720.
    According to the protesting students, such scores were not practically possible, as four marks are given for every correct answer and one mark is deducted for every wrong answer.
    Protests by students were witnessed across the country after the result.
    Following the protests, the NTA had stated that “grace marks” were given to some students whose time was wasted because of some technical errors while distributing the question paper.
    The country’s Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday denied the possibility of paper-leak.
     “There is no evidence of a paper leak in NEET-UG. The allegations of corruption in NTA are not found, it is a very credible body,” he said.
    On the other hand, the main opposition party the Indian National Congress demanded a probe in the matter.
    INC President Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X that “Grace-marks was not the only problem in NEET exam. There was rigging, question paper was leaked, corruption took place.”
    Alleging a “nexus” between the examination centers and coaching centers, he said, “The Congress party demands a Supreme Court-led independent probe in the NEET scam, and those guilty should be punished.” (Xinhua/NAN) (www.nannes.ng)
    UMD/EAL
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    Edited by Ummul Idris/Ekemini Ladejobi