National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) came under scrutiny on Monday as lawmakers questioned the rationale behind funding the self-sustaining agency.
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance took JAMB to task over its expenditure, particularly on meals, refreshments, and mosquito killings.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) led the charge, criticizing JAMB’s spending habits and asking the registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, to justify the expenses.
“You spent N1.1 billion on meals and refreshments. Are you being freely fed by the government? What this means is that you are spending the money you generate from poor students, many of them orphans.
“You also spent N850 million on security, cleaning and fumigation in 2024. What did you fumigate? Is it mosquitoes that took all this money?”
Oshiomhole’s concerns were echoed by Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abiodun Faleke, who wondered why JAMB, which generates significant revenue, relies on federal allocations.
Faleke’s suggestion that JAMB should keep its remitted funds and forgo federal government funding sparked a debate about the agency’s financial independence.
The lawmakers argued that JAMB’s self-sustaining status means it should not require federal funding, especially when it generates billions of naira in revenue.
JAMB’s 2025 budget proposal, presented by Oloyede, revealed that the agency remitted N4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2024, but received a grant of N6 billion from the federal government.
The lawmakers saw this as a contradiction, questioning why JAMB needs federal funding when it can sustain itself.
The committee’s scrutiny of JAMB’s finances highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
As the lawmakers continue to grill JAMB officials, the agency’s financial management practices are under intense scrutiny.
