Two labour unions at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, have thrown their full weight behind the proposed increase in allocation for staff feeding in the 2025 budget, saying the move is key to improving the level of productivity in the Board.

The unions, the National Association of Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, clarified the rationale behind the N1.1 billion proposed in the 2025 budget for the feeding scheme, countering recent misrepresentations about the figure.

Speaking during a health walk organized by JAMB to kickstart its 2025 activities in Abuja at the weekend, NASU JAMB Chapter Chairman, Andrew Onakpa, said the plan aims to expand free lunch provision for staff, previously exclusive to the headquarters, to over 2,300 staff across JAMB’s 44 offices nationwide.

Onakps said efforts by the Registrar to address staff welfare are humane and should not be discouraged, noting that an improved feeding scheme will enhance staff performance.

He explained that the union pushed for the inclusion of other JAMB offices and that staff were part of the negotiations with vendors to ensure transparency in the process.

“We have over 2,300 staff in more than 44 offices nationwide. When you calculate the cost of feeding across all working days in a year, the figure is understandably significant. It’s not about mismanagement; it’s about improving welfare,” he said.

He expressed concern over the backlash from the National Assembly during JAMB’s recent budget defence, warning it could jeopardize these initiatives.

On his part, ASCSN JAMB Branch Chairman, Ebenezer Ayalibola, echoed Onakpa’s sentiments, emphasizing that the welfare committee meticulously calculated the feeding budget.

“This includes staff in outstations. If you multiply the agreed amount per staff per day across 12 months, the figure will naturally add up to N1.1 billion. This was a collective decision by the welfare committee, not the Registrar acting alone,” Ayalibola said.

Addressing the N850 million reportedly proposed for fumigation, Ayalibola explained that the figure encompasses all cleaning services, fumigation, and security across JAMB’s offices nationwide.

“As for the fumigation, that money was not for just fumigation alone but along with all cleaning services and security for a year at all our offices nationwide too.

” The aggregate of all the salaries for our contractors who do all the services is what constituted that N850 million.

“These costs include the salaries of contractors providing these essential services,” he clarified.

Ayalibola noted that the welfare measures are part of JAMB’s Condition of Service, which is periodically reviewed and subject to National Assembly approval.

Recall that JAMB had during a budget defence exercise in the National Assembly last week presented a proposal for an increase of staff feeding in 2025 to N1.1 billion.

The amount was reached following a review and considering the rise in the cost of meals from N1, 200 per day to N2,200 due to rising food prices as well as the expansion of the scheme to cover 2,300 staff members throughout the working days in 2025.

The cost was projected to be N1.27 billion but JAMB budgeted N1.1 billion for this purpose.