- The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance cleared JAMB of financial mismanagement allegations following a detailed budget review
- JAMB's ₦1.1 billion meal and ₦850 million fumigation expenses were clarified, with no evidence of misused funds
- The committee then praised JAMB’s financial transparency and effective resource management under Prof. Oloyede's leadership
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has absolved the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of allegations of financial mismanagement in its 2024 budget implementation.
Senator Sani Musa, chairman of the committee, made this announcement on Thursday, January 16, following a review of documents submitted by JAMB, which dispelled accusations of reckless expenditure.
During the budget defence session with JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the committee raised concerns over reports that the board had spent ₦1.1 billion on meals and ₦850 million on fumigation, among other line items.
While Professor Oloyede attempted to clarify these expenditures, the committee requested a detailed breakdown of JAMB's budgetary appropriation and spending for 2024 and 2025.
Senator Musa clarified that a comprehensive review of JAMB’s submissions confirmed there was no evidence of mismanagement or misuse of funds.
“For the purpose of clarity, the comprehensive report provided by JAMB indicated that the line items mentioned during Monday’s hearing on revenue did not suggest any mismanagement or misuse of the board’s funds,” Musa stated.
He commended the registrar for demonstrating financial discipline and effective resource management, emphasising that such stewardship serves as a benchmark for other public institutions.
JAMB wants to limit physical interactions with underage candidates to prevent extortion
Meanwhile, TheRadar previously reported the plans of JAMB to fully automate its services to significantly reduce physical interactions with applicants.
This decision was highlighted by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, which is aimed at addressing issues arising from the fact that many candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are underaged.
The board's new policy will involve limiting in-person interactions, and transitioning instead to online communication with recorded calls for better monitoring and quality control. Prof. Oloyede emphasized that this shift is crucial for mitigating alleged extortion and exploitation, as the board has received numerous reports of such practices.
