Adekola Adelani
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has threatened to discontinue the Federal Government’s allocation to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in the 2025 budget. This follows scrutiny of the agency’s expenditure during a budget defense session on Monday.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, appeared before the committee to present the agency’s 2025 budget proposal. During his breakdown of JAMB’s 2024 financial performance, Oloyede disclosed that the board remitted ₦4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund while receiving a ₦6 billion grant from the Federal Government.
This revelation prompted sharp criticism from lawmakers, including Hon. Abiodun Faleke and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who questioned why a self-sustaining agency like JAMB continues to receive government funding.
“You remitted ₦4 billion and got ₦6 billion from the Federal Government. Why not keep the ₦4 billion, and we stop the government from funding JAMB?” asked Hon. Faleke, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance.
Senator Oshiomhole added, “You spent ₦1.1 billion on meals and refreshments. Are you being freely fed by the government? This means you are spending money generated from poor students, many of whom are orphans.”
The lawmakers also scrutinized other expenditures, including; ₦850 million for security, cleaning, and fumigation; ₦600 million for local travels and ₦6.5 billion on local training.
“What did you fumigate? Mosquitoes that cost this much money?” Oshiomhole queried, calling on Oloyede to justify the spending.
The Joint Committee has called for a review of JAMB’s financial practices, questioning the rationale behind certain expenditures and the need for continued federal grants.
JAMB’s 2025 budget defense session has spotlighted broader concerns about financial accountability and prudent resource management in government agencies.
