I never presented 2024 budget performance before NASS – JAMB Registrar

I never presented 2024 budget performance before NASS – JAMB Registrar

The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board
(JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has decried the misrepresentation of figures in
the 2025 budget proposal presented to the National Assembly Joint Committee on
Finance.

 

Oloyede, while fielding questions from newsmen at a sideline
of an event in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissed reports making rounds that the Board
spent huge amount on fumigation, meals, among other items in 2024.

 

Oloyede stated that the Board’s total expenditure for
fumigation across all states in 2024 was less than N1 million.

 

He said that what was presented before the commitee was not
the 2024 expenditure but solely the 2025 budget proposal.

 

He added that claims regarding humongous spending in 2024 on
meals or fumigation, security and cleaning were totally unfounded.

 

“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.

 

Oloyede explained that misunderstandings arose because the
detailed breakdown of the budget proposal was not fully reviewed during the
presentation.

 

On the N6.5 billion allegedly spent on training in 2024,
Oloyede said the money 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.

 

On the alleged huge amount spent on meal, Oloyede 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? ”

 

Speaking on the clamour for downward review of Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) fee, he said the fee remained
reviewed 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,” he said.

 

Oloyode said the figure proposed for cleaners, security,
among others were also misrepresented.

 

“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.

 

He, however, expressed hope that the National Assembly
committee would allow him to provide further clarifications on the budget to
resolve any lingering misunderstandings.

Source: I never presented 2024 budget performance before NASS – JAMB Registrar

 - NigerianEye
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