The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has addressed the misconceptions regarding its alleged excessive spending on fumigation in 2024. JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, expressed his concerns on Tuesday about the misrepresentation of figures in the 2025 budget proposal that was presented to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance.
During a press briefing in Abuja, Oloyede refuted claims that the Board incurred substantial expenses on fumigation, meals, and other items. He emphasized that the total expenditure for fumigation across all states in 2024 was less than N1 million. “I want to say emphatically, without any iota of doubt, that I never presented any budget performance for 2024 before the National Assembly yesterday. I think it’s a lot of misunderstanding,” he stated. He clarified that he did not discuss the 2024 budget performance and insisted that no significant funds were spent that year. Furthermore, he noted that the budget for fumigation in 2025 is less than N2 million.
Oloyede explained that the misunderstandings stemmed from the incomplete review of the budget proposal during the presentation. He pointed out that a detailed breakdown was provided on a subsequent page, marked with asterisks for emphasis, but was not thoroughly examined during the discussion. Regarding the N6.5 billion purportedly spent on training in 2024, Oloyede clarified that this figure is merely a proposal for 2025, encompassing various budget lines, including examination monitoring, admission expenses, e-facilities payments, and awards for top higher education institutions.
He highlighted the logistical needs of the examination process, mentioning that there are 10,500 examiners and invigilators involved in conducting both the mock and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), some of whom stay for up to 10 days. Oloyede noted that he does not determine the Daily Travel Allowance (DTA) for these personnel, as it is set by the government, questioning what offense he had committed by compiling their claims.
Addressing the allegations of excessive spending on meals, Oloyede explained that JAMB provides one lunch for employees at the headquarters. This practice is partly to maintain security and protect the ICT infrastructure from potential damage caused by outside food deliveries. He mentioned that for 2025, they plan to provide meals for 2,300 staff members, which could amount to over N1 billion when calculated over the year.
On the topic of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) fee, Oloyede stated that the fee had been reduced from N5,000 to N3,500, which he believes is the lowest fee charged globally for admission processes unless it is offered for free. He assured that, if given the opportunity to explain, Nigerians would understand that he would not misappropriate or misuse funds.
Oloyede also addressed the misrepresentation of figures related to expenses for cleaners and security personnel. He pointed out that there are 580 security personnel and cleaners across all states, questioning where their salaries would come from. He noted that the recent increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 would necessitate an adjustment in their budgetary provisions.
In conclusion, Oloyede expressed hope that the National Assembly committee would allow him to provide further clarifications on the budget to resolve any remaining misunderstandings.
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