MURIC charges Reps to shun ’emotion, scapegoatism’ on JAMB probe

A Nigerian faith-based human rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called on the panel of the House of Representatives currently investigating the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to put aside sentiment and scapegoatism throughout the exercise.

MURIC gave the advice on Wednesday, 16th August, 2023, while commenting on the investigation by the lower legislative chamber.

The examination body is currently getting grilled for recruiting 300 staff without formal advertisement.

The Executive Director of the human rights group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said :

“An ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives is currently investigating the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for recruiting 300 staff without advertisement.

“We are aware of a Federal Government circular reference number 58775/II/T/358 of 11th July 2017, titled: “Streamlining procedures for recruitment into federal agencies” which made new guidelines for recruitment to permit the replacement of vacancies at the discretion of MDAs. We are also not unaware of the 2021 guideline issued by the Federal Character Commission which made newspaper advertisement of job vacancies mandatory.

“However, we call attention to the nature of JAMB’s work which necessitates constant recourse to manpower even at the shortest notice. This makes the 2017 waiver given by the Federal Government sine qua non in the operations of the national examination body.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that JAMB has set high standard in transparency, probity and accountability over the years. The motive behind the waiver for the unadvertised recruitment should therefore be clearly understood as far from being sinister.

“The panel should therefore watch out for overzealousness, emotional manifestations and scapegoatism. There is the likelihood of merchants of the popular ‘pull-him-down’ (PhD) syndrome whose only interest is to rubbish the saint no matter the facts made available as well as black descendants of the merchant of Venice with eyes on their pound of flesh. Nigerians are watching.”

Meanwhile, The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede, has announced the reason why the Board employed 300 staff without advertising the positions.

Professor Oloyede, a former Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, who appeared before the House of Representatives, said the decision was to fill vacancies created due to retirement.