Senator Adams Oshiomole during a budget defense session at the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance, questioned the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) expenditures, and expressed his displeasure in the Boards outrageous spendings.
Accordingly, the Registrar of JAMB Prof. Ishaq Oloyede’s 2024 budget report had showed that the Board had spent N1.1 billion on meals and refreshments, and an additional N850 million for cleaning, security and fumigation of mosquitoes.
Senator Oshiomole criticized these expenditures, and questioned their impact on students, many of whom come from poor homes. He also raised concerns about the ₦600 million allocated for local travels, suggesting the need for financial restraint.
“You spent N1.1 billion on meals and refreshments. Is the government feeding you for free? This money is coming from poor students, many of whom are orphans. What exactly did you fumigate for N850 million? Did mosquitoes cost you that much?” Oshiomhole asked.
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Similarly, Abiodun Faleke, the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, challenged JAMB’s reliance on federal allocations despite its significant revenue-generating capabilities. He suggested that the Federal Government would stop giving JAMB allocations, while JAMB depend on their revenue
“You remitted N4 billion and received N6 billion from the government. Why not keep your N4 billion, and we stop giving JAMB any federal allocation?” Faleke said.
JAMB has been a significant revenue generator, remitting over ₦27 billion to the federal government between 2017 and 2022. However, it has also argued for a balance, emphasizing that education is a social service and advocating against being solely viewed as a revenue-generating agency.
To become independent of federal funding, JAMB has suggested revisiting its registration fees, which were reduced in 2017 to ₦3,500 from ₦5,000
The lawmakers have called for a review of JAMB’s budgeting approach to ensure greater accountability and efficiency, reflecting the challenges faced by Nigerian students.
