…criticize board for ignoring fiscal responsibility letters
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to remit the sum of N3,602,605,277 to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in accordance with demands made by the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).
This directive was issued during the committee’s resumed hearing on Monday, after the FRC brought JAMB before the committee over issues related to its operating surplus.
The Chairman of PAC, Rep. Bamidele Salam, addressed the matter following claims by the FRC that JAMB had failed to respond to correspondence regarding its financial obligations.
According to Mr. Bello Aliyu, representing the FRC, the agency had informed JAMB about its liabilities, which totaled N390,725,324 in 2021. After receiving JAMB’s audited financial statement for 2022, the FRC recalculated the liabilities to be N3,602,605,277 and notified JAMB of this in March 2024, with a reminder sent on 31st August 2024. Aliyu added that JAMB had not **Reps Committee Orders JAMB to Remit N3bn to FG CRF, Criticizes Board for Ignoring Fiscal Responsibility Letters**
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to remit N3,602,605,277 to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in accordance with demands made by the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC). This directive was issued during the committee’s opening hearing on Monday, after the FRC brought JAMB before the committee over issues related to its operating surplus.
The PAC, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, addressed the matter following claims by the FRC that JAMB had failed to respond to correspondence regarding its financial obligations.
According to Mr. Bello Aliyu, representing the FRC, the agency had informed JAMB about its liabilities, which totaled N390,725,324 in 2021. After receiving JAMB’s audited financial statement for 2022, the FRC recalculated the liabilities to be N3,602,605,277 and notified JAMB of this in March 2024, with a reminder sent on 31st August 2024
Aliyu stated that JAMB had not responded to any of these letters.
In response to these allegations, JAMB’s Director of Finance and Administration, Mufutau Bello, explained that the difference in figures stemmed from the FRC’s attempt to increase JAMB’s remittance rate from 25% to 50%.
Bello noted that, since 2019, JAMB had reduced its registration fee from N5,000 to N3,500 to benefit Nigerians. He emphasized that JAMB has consistently adhered to the 25% remittance rate and has not increased any fees in the last eight years.
According to the DFA, the Accountant General had approved this 25% rate, which JAMB has followed, but the FRC now insists on 50%.
In his remarks, the PAC Chairman emphasized that remittance rules are determined by law and not subject to personal interpretation.
He questioned how the discrepancy between the 25% and 50% remittance arose and what the law specifically dictates regarding JAMB’s obligations.
In response, the FRC representative clarified that, under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, all listed agencies are required to remit 80% of their operating surplus. However, the 2021 Finance Act categorized agencies as fully funded, partially funded, or self-funded. JAMB falls under the partially funded category, meaning it can only use 50% of its internally generated revenue (IGR) for its operations and must remit the remaining 50% to the government’s sub-recurrent account.
At the end of the year, a reconciliation determines whether the actual liability should be 80% or 20%, with the higher amount becoming the agency’s final obligation. Based on this rule, the FRC computed JAMB’s liability at 50% of its gross revenue”, he explained.
The committee expressed frustration over JAMB’s failure to respond to the FRC’s letters and unanimously ordered the board to remit the N3,602,605,277 to the CRF within 30 days, providing evidence of the payment.