The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has dismissed allegations of misappropriation of funds, describing them as misrepresentations.
Oloyede’s response came after the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance questioned the board’s 2025 budget proposal, presented on Monday.
“I want to say emphatically, without any iota of doubt, that I never presented any budget performance of 2024 before the National Assembly yesterday. I think it’s a lot of misunderstanding…. I did not talk about 2024 budget performance. And we did not spend any money, any humongous money in 2024,” Oloyede said.
Oloyede clarified that JAMB’s total expenditure for fumigation across all states in 2024 was less than N1 million, contrary to reports of excessive spending. “Indeed, what we spent on fumigation in the whole state of the Federation, all offices in 2024, not up to one million naira. And what we budgeted for 2025 for fumigation is less than two million,” he explained.
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Regarding the alleged N6.5 billion spent on training in 2024, Oloyede explained that this figure is actually a proposal for 2025, covering various budget lines such as examination monitoring, admission expenses, and e-facilities payment. “We have 10,500 examiners and invigilators going to conduct both the mock and the UTME. Some of them stay for 10 days. I do not determine their DTA. It’s the government that determines the DTA to be paid to them. So what offence have I committed in putting their claims together?” he queried.
Oloyede also addressed concerns about the amount spent on meals, stating that JAMB provides lunch for its headquarters staff to prevent damage to its ICT infrastructure and maintain security. “Everybody knows that at the JAMB headquarters, we provide one lunch for those in the headquarters. And we provide this lunch for them, partly because we don’t want our system to be destroyed… Apart from the fact that there are security reasons for not allowing people going in and coming out. You also know that we have some ICT infrastructure that will be damaged if we allow people to be bringing food and remnant,” he said.
On the clamour for downward review of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) fee instead of the Board remitting money to federal coffers, Oloyede said: “I think for me to the best of my knowledge I have done what I’m supposed to do. We have reduced it from N5,000 to N3,500. This is the least paid anywhere in the world for any admission unless you want it to be given free. And we can assure you, if we are given a fair opportunity to explain, Nigerians will know that I, Ishaq Oloyede, would not misappropriate or misuse money.”
Oloyede also addressed the issue of cleaners and security personnel, stating that the board has 580 security men and cleaners across the federation. “Where would their salaries come from?” he asked, adding that the increase in minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 would also lead to an increase in their budgetary provision.
In conclusion, Oloyede expressed hope that the National Assembly committee would allow him to provide further clarifications on the budget to resolve any lingering misunderstandings.