The National Association of Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) have hailed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar Is-haq Oloyede for prioritising workers’ welfare.

The unions clarified that the N1.1 billion proposed in the 2025 budget for the feeding scheme included expanding the free lunch provision, previously exclusive to the headquarters, to over 2,300 staff in JAMB’s 44 offices nationwide.

Speaking during a health walk organized by JAMB in preparation for its 2025 activities in Abuja, NASU JAMB Chairman Andrew Onakpa praised Oloyede for paying attention to workers’ welfare.

He said: “The registrar’s efforts to address staff welfare are humane and should not be discouraged.” While saying an improved feeding scheme would enhance staff performance, Onakpa said the union pushed for the inclusion of other JAMB offices, adding that they were even part of the negotiations with the vendors, ensuring transparency in the process.

He said: “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.” While expressing concern over the backlash from the National Assembly during JAMB’s recent budget defence, Onakpa described Oloyede as “a man of high calibre” and urged him to maintain his commitment to improving staff welfare.

ASCSN JAMB Chairman Ebenezer Ayalibola maintained that the welfare committee meticulously calculated the feeding budget.