The Nigerian government has dismissed civil servants holding degrees from unaccredited institutions in Togo and Benin from 2017 to present. This action follows an investigation revealing significant fraud in degree issuance. The government aims to protect its education system’s integrity and has initiated compliance measures across all sectors.
The Nigerian government has dismissed civil servants who possess degrees from private institutions in the Benin Republic and Togo. This action affects federal employees who graduated from 2017 onwards. Segun Imohiosen, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, confirmed this news in a statement to journalists on Wednesday.
In a prior announcement issued in August, the Nigerian government stated that only eight universities in Togo and Benin had received accreditation to award degrees to Nigerian students. This decision followed an undercover report that revealed a journalist from Daily Nigerian obtained a degree in merely two months from a Benin Republic university, later using this degree to enroll in the National Youth Service Corps.
As a result of these revelations, the authorities in Benin Republic and Togo have stopped the accreditation and evaluation of tertiary degrees to safeguard their educational credibility. The Nigerian Federal Government has also set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee to delve into the issue of fraudulent degree certificates being sold by certificate racketeers.
Tahir Mamman, the former Minister of Education, reported that over 22,500 Nigerians had procured fraudulent degrees from these countries, resulting in their imminent cancellation. He stressed that the government is resolute in invalidating the degrees issued by what he termed “fake” universities, emphasizing that this measure is essential to protect Nigeria’s reputation.
Mamman remarked, “Most of those parading the fake certificates didn’t even leave the shores of Nigeria… The phoney universities took advantage of Nigerians’ gullibility in choosing such fake schools.” He urged private sectors to adopt similar measures as the government will investigate employees holding these fraudulent credentials.
While the precise number of affected civil servants remains unclear, it has been reported that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has issued a directive to all ministries, departments, and agencies to comply with this decision. An anonymous source stated that these employee dismissals occurred in compliance with recommendations from the investigative committee.
The source indicated, “There was a letter from the SGF cabinet affairs directing all ministries, departments, and government agencies to identify and terminate the appointments of workers employed with certificates obtained from private universities in the Republic of Benin and Togo from 2017 to date.” Reports from the PUNCH reveal that several agencies, including the National Youth Service Corps, have begun implementing this directive.
Caroline Embu, the NYSC Director of Information, confirmed that five employees were terminated following the SGF’s directive, saying, “The directive contained in the letter from the SGF’s office affected five members of staff.”
In summary, the Nigerian government has taken significant measures to terminate civil servants with degrees from unaccredited private institutions in Togo and Benin. The actions stem from an investigation highlighting widespread degree fraud, affecting thousands of Nigerians. The government is keen on safeguarding its educational integrity and encouraging compliance across all sectors. This decisive action reflects a commitment to uphold the country’s reputation against fraudulent practices.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
