JAMB in trouble over illegal recruitment

An ad hoc committee from the House of Representatives has raised concerns over the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) recent recruitment of approximately 300 staff members without publicly advertising the available positions.

The committee’s inquiry is part of a broader investigation into various ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), parastatals, and tertiary institutions. The focus of the investigation includes matters such as personnel recruitment, allegations of employment racketeering, and the potential mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

During a hearing on Monday, Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, appeared before the committee to address the recruitment process. Oloyede explained that JAMB had obtained a waiver from the government to conduct the recruitment without the traditional advertising of vacancies. He cited time constraints and the urgency of the situation as reasons for bypassing the standard procedure.

“We opted for the waiver due to the urgent nature of our work. Advertisements would have prolonged the process and hindered our ability to promptly fulfill our requirements for these positions. I want to emphasize that we ensured the recruitment was fair and transparent for qualified individuals,” Oloyede stated.

However, Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), challenged JAMB’s approach, asserting that the method of recruitment employed by the organization could have potentially deprived numerous qualified candidates of the chance to apply. Gagdi referred to documents presented to the committee that indicated JAMB had been conducting recruitments without adhering to the established process of advertising, shortlisting, and conducting interviews for job seekers.

Gagdi questioned Oloyede, saying, “Why did you assume that advertising wouldn’t have been a better course of action? Advertising allows for a comprehensive assessment of applicants, ensuring the selection of the most suitable candidates. Our concern here is to address any misuse of waivers.”

In a circular dated July 11, 2017, with reference number 58775/II/T/358, titled “Streamlining Procedures for Recruitment into Federal Agencies,” the federal government introduced new guidelines for recruitment in federal agencies. These guidelines outlined the necessity for MDAs to seek a waiver from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation to fill vacancies.

The circular emphasized the importance of adhering to the budget for recruitment, obtaining a waiver for recruitment, and ensuring appropriate budget allocations for the process. Furthermore, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) issued guidelines in 2021 aimed at preventing the misuse of waivers by MDAs. The guidelines mandated that job vacancies be advertised in national newspapers and provided detailed descriptions of academic qualifications and relevant experience for each position.

As part of the FCC’s guidelines, the allocation of vacancies was to be predetermined based on federal character representation by states or geo-political zones, in collaboration with the recruiting MDA.