adplus-dvertising
Politics

“We Did Not Spend Any Humonguos Money In 2024” – JAMB Registrar Responds To Criticisms

Ishaq Oloyede 768x434 1.webp

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has declared that there is a mix-up in the media regarding the details of his interaction with lawmakers in the National Assembly regarding the board’s expenses and 2025 budget figures.

Oloyede, who spoke on Tuesday on the sidelines of an event in Abuja, said he never discussed JAMB’s 2024 budget performance with the lawmakers on Monday.

He also denied reports making rounds that the Board spent a huge amount on fumigation, meals, and other items in 2024.

The JAMB Registrar submitted that discussions with the lawmakers were strictly about the board’s 2025 budget proposal.

According to him, allegations of overspending by the commission under his watch are totally unfounded and he expressed hope that the National Assembly committee would allow him to provide further clarifications on the budget to resolve any lingering misunderstandings.

“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.

“Indeed, what we spent on fumigation in the whole state of the Federation, all offices in 2024, not up to N1million. And what we budgeted for 2025 for fumigation is less than N2 million,” he said.

The Explanation

Oloyede said the detailed breakdown of the 2025 budget proposal was not fully reviewed during the presentation on Monday, stating that the ₦6.5 billion allegedly spent on training in 2024, was just a proposal for 2025 that cut across various budget lines.

He added that this included monitoring of examination, admission expenses, e-facilities payment, awards for best higher education institutions, among others.

“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 said.

Feeding At JAMB Headquarters

Oloyede further explained that JAMB provides one meal to staff members because of the sensitive nature of their assignment. He stated this while responding to the allegations of the huge amount spent on meals.

He said “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.

” So we created the canteen and we provide for them. So we are now saying for 2025, we should provide for 2,300.

“2,300 times 22 days, times 12 months, what will it be if not over N1 billion? ”

UTME Fees Remain ₦3,500

The JAMB Registrar said the fee for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can’t be reviewed below ₦3,500 at the moment, except Nigerians want it for free.

He recalled that the fee was recently reviewed from ₦5,000 to ₦3,500.

“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,” he said.

Minimum Wage Payment

Oloyede explained that the increase in figures budgeted for cleaners, security, among others were also misrepresented as it is a result of the new minimum wage that needs to be implemented.

“In all the states of the federation, we have 580 security men and cleaners. Where would their salaries come from?

“The increase in minimum wage from N30,000 to N70, 000 will also lead to increase in their budgetary provision,” the JAMB Registrar explained.

WATCH FULL VIDEO

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE