JAMB demands financial autonomy, wants return of slashed exam fees to N5000

Nigeria’s tertiary institutions’ examination body JAMB is demanding financial autonomy from the National Assembly just as it seeks reversal of the recent deduction in examination fees from N5000 to N3500. Registrar of the Board, Ishaq Oloyede, canvassed the agency’s position at the resumed sitting of the House Committee on Finance.

The appointment of Ishaq Oloyede, a former Vice Chancellor as Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board in 2016 has no doubt, transformed the government agency.

From a paltry N3 million annual remittance, JAMB has moved to deposit over N3.5 billion in government coffers in 2021 alone, as an operating surplus.

The Board’s management is before the House Committee on Finance as it winds down interactions with Ministries, departments, and agencies of government on the next Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.

He gives an impressive financial record of the agency in the past years and is confident that granting JAMB the status of financial autonomy is the best thing to do.

One other major demand he brings before the legislators is the need to return the slashed Examination fee to N5000.

The committee is impressed with the Board’s performance but expresses reservations about the impact of Oloyede’s proposal on the disposable income of Nigerians.

The National Integrated Water Management Resources Commission was also before the legislators.