Reps panel probes JAMB over alleged non-remittances of funds to FG account
Tamarauemi Ebimini
The House of Representatives has resolved to beam its searchlights on the authorities of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board over alleged discrepancies in the remittances of funds to the federal government purse.
Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education, Hon Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji explained that the decision followed noticeable gaps in the accounts of the examination body and those of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGoF).
The Bayelsa state lawmaker argued that the initiative was aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the education sector.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede who appeared before the committee on Wednesday explained that his outfit started remitting revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund less than a year after he assumed office.
He informed the Committee that in 2017, JAMB remitted the sum of N7.8bn and followed it up with N5.2bn, N3.68bn, N3.82bn, N3.5bn and N3.1bn in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Oloyede further told the lawmakers that JAMB under his stewardship generated internal revenue of N13.33bn, N11.35bn, N9.74bn and N12.62bn respectively in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
However, discrepancy ot N11m was established with the submission of Mrs Lucy Anom who represented the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, prompting the Chairman of the Committee, Afoji Obuku to call for a sub-committee to look into the alleged differences and report back to the Committee on Basic Education.
Nevertheless, JAMB boss has kicked against the Federal Government’s automated deduction of funds accruing to it from the registration fees paid by candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
Oloyede said the practice was significantly reducing its revenue contribution to the CRF.
A member of the committee, Oyedeji Oyeshina (PDP,Oyo) pointed out that JAMB’s revenue generation and remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation had reduced since 2019.
But speaking, Oloyede explained that from the schedule of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the board from 2019 to 2022, there was significant reduction in remittances of revenue to the coffers of the federal government due to reduction of examination fees for UTME candidates.
He further explained that the examination fee was reduced in 2019 from N5,000 to N3500, adding that the federal government had kicked off automated deduction of the internal revenue remittances after the reduction of the examination fee was approved and effected by the board.
The committee, which assured of effective oversight of the examination body and some other agencies, had earlier requested the annual audited accounts, procurement plans, schedule of Internally Generated Revenue ,IGR and evidence of remittances from JAMB.
The committee further tasked JAMB to furnish it with a comprehensive list of its staff strength with a view to determining the level of compliance with the Federal Character Principle.
