Shock as JAMB spends N1.85bn on refreshments and k+lling mosquitoes

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is under fire after details of its 2024 expenses revealed a staggering N1.85 billion spent on meals, refreshments, and fumigation. The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance, during a budget defense session on Monday, criticized the board’s financial practices, describing the expenditures as “excessive” and hinting at a potential cut to federal funding in JAMB’s 2025 budget.

The contentious spending breakdown includes N1.1 billion allocated for meals and refreshments, as well as N850 million reportedly spent on security, cleaning, and fumigation. Senator Adams Oshiomhole did not mince words while questioning JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.

“You spent N1.1 billion on meals and refreshments. Is the government feeding you for free? This money comes from poor students, many of whom are orphans. What exactly did you fumigate for N850 million? Did mosquitoes cost you that much?” Oshiomhole queried.

JAMB’s financial structure was further scrutinized when Prof. Oloyede disclosed that the board remitted N4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2024 but received a federal government grant of N6 billion during the same period. This led to more criticism from lawmakers, including House Committee on Finance Chairman Abiodun Faleke.

Faleke asked why JAMB continues to rely on federal allocations despite being a revenue-generating body. “You remitted N4 billion and received N6 billion from the government. Why not keep your N4 billion, and we stop giving JAMB any federal allocation?” he suggested.

Both lawmakers stressed the need for JAMB to cut wasteful spending, review its financial practices, and become more financially autonomous and accountable. The board is now under pressure to justify its expenditures or face stricter oversight and reduced budget allocations in the future.

This incident has sparked outrage among citizens, with many questioning how such excessive expenditures align with JAMB’s mission of providing accessible education services to Nigerian students.