By Nafiu Toyin Abdulqadri
The National Assembly has cleared the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of financial impropriety allegations, following a review of the examination body’s financial activities. The clearance comes after JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, was accused of reckless spending, including N1.1 billion on meals and N850 million on fumigation.
However, Oloyede dismissed the allegations, stating that the Board’s total expenditure for fumigation across all states in 2024 was less than N1 million. He attributed the misunderstanding to the detailed breakdown of the budget proposal not being fully reviewed during the presentation.
The Chairman of the joint committee, Senator Sani Musa, acknowledged that Oloyede and JAMB were wrongly accused, praising the Registrar for demonstrating financial discipline and accountability in managing the Board’s resources.
Oloyede also clarified other misrepresented figures, including the N6.5 billion proposed for training in 2025, which he explained was a proposal that cut across various budget lines. He also addressed the alleged huge amount spent on meals, stating that the Board provides one lunch for staff at its headquarters due to security and infrastructure concerns.