Education
‘80% Niger Education Ministry Staff, Working With Fake Certificates’
The Niger State Government has revealed that 80 per cent of staff of the State Ministry of Education are allegedly working with forged certificates from the state-owned College of Education, COE, Minna.
This development came to public glare due to the ongoing screening of all staff of the state workforce.
The screening committee during the exercise discovered that 80 per cent of the staff of the ministry have been working over the years with fake certificates obtained from the state-owned College of Education.
It was gathered that the mastermind of the certificate racketeering of the institution has been nabbed by the State Police Command over the issue.
Reacting, the Chairman of the Screening Committee and state Commissioner for Works, Engineer Ibrahim Mohammed Panti, told journalists in Minna that the five members of staff of COE fingered in the forged certificates scandal have offered useful information to the police as investigations were on to unravelling more on the issue.
He said, “ The suspected printer had admitted during interrogation that he had printed and sold out unspecified number of such fake certificates to many students which they have used and still using to secure employment within and outside the state.”
The Commissioner stated that most of the culprits in the fake certificates scam could neither write their names correctly nor communicate in simple English language.
He also disclosed that all the culprits have already been sacked and will be replaced as soon as possible with those having genuine Certificates.
“All the vacancies are going to be filled with people with genuine certificates.
“The essence of the screening is to determine the actual staff strength of our workers and block all wastages through over bloated salaries,” Panti said.
The chairman further revealed that the committee members have received several threats from some faceless persons suspected to be part of those involved, warning, “we will not be deterred in concluding the assignment given to us by the state government.”
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.