Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC/Edo North) on Monday sparked heated discussions during the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) 2025 budget defence session before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance, raising eyebrows over the agency’s spending patterns in 2024.
Oshiomhole took aim at JAMB’s expenditure on security, cleaning, and fumigation, totaling N850 million. “What did you fumigate? Is it mosquitoes that consumed all this money?” the senator quipped, adding that such figures demand thorough justification. He also criticized the agency’s N1.1 billion spending on meals and refreshments, questioning if JAMB officials were being “freely fed by the government.” He expressed concerns that these funds, sourced from examination fees paid by students, many of whom come from impoverished backgrounds, were being used irresponsibly.
Further scrutiny arose over JAMB’s reported N600 million spent on local travel in 2024. Oshiomhole’s pointed remarks shed light on what he described as extravagant and questionable expenditures, calling for a review of the agency’s budgetary priorities.
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JAMB’s registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, defended the agency’s financial activities, revealing that it remitted N4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2024 while receiving N6 billion as a federal grant. However, this explanation triggered additional criticism from lawmakers. Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abiodun Faleke, argued that JAMB, as a revenue-generating and self-sustaining agency, should not rely on federal allocations. “You remitted N4 billion and then took N6 billion from the government. Why not keep the N4 billion and stop taking from the government altogether?” Faleke questioned.
The lawmakers hinted at a potential overhaul of JAMB’s funding structure, warning that federal allocations could be removed in future budgets unless the agency provides compelling reasons for its continued dependence on government resources. This budget defence session has reignited public discourse on financial accountability in government agencies, particularly those that generate substantial revenue from citizens.
As debates continue, stakeholders and citizens are closely monitoring developments, calling for transparency and responsible financial management in JAMB and other government agencies.
