by Isi Esene

The report of the Steven Orosanye led committee on restructuring of the Federal Government Agencies and Parastatals which recommended the scrapping of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board has met opposition from JAMB chapters of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, and Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN.

The groups have threatened to challenge the report of the committee in court if the federal government goes ahead to implement it.

While addressing journalists on Monday at the JAMB office in Abuja to express their opposition, the affiliate unions of the institution said that scrapping it will throw about 2,000 of its workers into the labour market.

According to a statement signed by Comrades Samuel Azaba and Isaiah Adeigbe, the branch Chairmen of NASU and ASCSN respectively as well as Stephen Ignatius, NASU secretary and his counterpart from ASCSN Adederin Adegoke, the unions argue that scrapping of JAMB will foment the grounds for mediocrity, nepotism, ethnic and religious jingoism in the tertiary institutions.

It reportedly says, “The noble objective (JAMB) was to ameliorate the chaotic situation that characterised access to the few universities then by the candidates. Especially, where incidents of multiple applications and multiple admissions denied several candidates admissions into those universities where the offers were declined.

“Scrapping the UTME will also foment the grounds for mediocrity, nepotism, ethnic and religious jingoism in the tertiary institutions since their individual examinations and their attendant admission processes will expectedly be fraught with questionable and discriminatory practices.”