Reps panel: We’ve not indicted JAMB registrar | Probe still ongoing

The house of representatives ad hoc committee investigating job racketeering in federal ministeris, departments and agencies (MDA’s), says the panel has not indicted Ishaq Oloyede, registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

On August 14, Oloyede was invitied to appear before the committe to explain why the board employed 300 workers without advertising.

Oloyede had said the recruitment of the new 300 workers was done to fill vacancies in the board created by the retirement of some members of staff.

Members of the committee had alleged that the examination body had been undertaking employment without due process of advertisement and shortlisting qualified job seekers before letters were issued.

The lawmakers noted that the agency had been getting waivers for the recruitment of staff yet it failed to adhere to the provisions of the law on non-engagement of more than 100 staff annually.

They said available documents showed that the board in 2021 employed more than 300 staff in a single recruitment exercise without adhering to the extant provision of law on the issue.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Yusuf Gagdi, chairman of the panel, said it was wrong to insinuate that the committee has indicted the JAMB registrar while it was still carrying out its assignment.

“I want to say it here that as a matter of fact, not take any report of indictment against anybody. This committee has not indicted the Registrar of JAMB and we have not indicted any institution,” Gagdi said.

“You can only say that after we submit our report. There are reports going out that we have indicted JAMB Registrar. No, we have not submitted any report anywhere and so, don’t quote us out of context please.

“We had a very good interaction with him and nobody should preempt the decision of this committee to say that somebody is faulty.”