JAMB and issues of transparency, accountability in public service

* Board remits N7billion to Federal Government of Nigeria in 2020

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

It is a matter of purposive and values-based leadership.

Many have argued, that committed demonstration of transparency and accountability in public service is a rarity in this clime.

Yet, exemplary and consistent manifestation of these exceptional attributes in operational efficiency and general management of affairs at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in recent years should merit the attention of honest-minded individuals, groups and organisations in Nigeria and beyond.

ConsumerConnect reports JAMB recently returned N3.5billion to the Federation Account from the excess generated from its operations during the conduct of 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).

The Management stated that it had remitted N3.5billion to the government for the sales of ePINs to UTME candidates, bringing the total remittance by the Board to N7billion this year.

Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Head of Media and Information at JAMB Headquarters, Abuja, FCT, in a statement said the Board pledged to make further remittance to the government as soon as its operations are concluded and proper audit of its books is done.

“It had made the payment of over N3.5billion to candidates by way of reduction of N1,500 from the cost of each ePIN sold to each candidates as graciously directed by the President totalling over N3.5billion, bringing the total remittances this year to over N7billion with the assurance to remit more as soon as its operations are concluded and proper audit of its books done.”

“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has made an interim remittance of N3.5billion to the Federal Government consolidated account for the 2020 expected remittance in line with Prof. Oloyede’s avowed commitment to remit wholly, excess funds generated from its operations to the Federal Government,” the statement said.

Recall that in 2019, JAMB returned N5 billion to the government coffers, but was later asked by the government to keep N2billion to further enhance its operations.

In the statement, Dr. Benjamin disclosed that the remittance was done in line with the Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede’s avowed commitment to remitting wholly, excess funds generated from its operations to the Federal Government.

He noted that “from the outset, it had been the intention of the present leadership of the Board to return to Federal coffers, whatever is left unutilised from its operational imperatives.”

The Board returned the excess to the government coffers despite reduction in the cost of ePIN sold to candidates from N5,000 to N3, 500 as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari last year, he said.

The JAMB Head of Media and Information added: “The immediate benefit of the move manifested in the reduction by President Buhari of the UTME registration fee payable by candidates from N5,000 to N3,500, which entails the transfer of over N3billion to candidates and parents/guardians annually via the reduction in the cost of application documents.

Over 1.9 million candidates wrote this year’s examination, making it the highest in the history of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board thus far.

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