Nigerian Government Dismisses Civil Servants with Degrees from Foreign Institutions
The Nigerian government has dismissed civil servants who possess degrees from unaccredited institutions in Benin and Togo, particularly targeting those who graduated since 2017. This decision follows investigations into degree fraud involving thousands of Nigerians. The government aims to uphold educational integrity and protect its national reputation by invalidating approximately 22,500 questionable degrees.
The Nigerian government has dismissed civil servants who acquired degrees from private institutions in Togo and Benin Republic, specifically targeting those who graduated from 2017 onward. The announcement was made by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations for the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. This policy follows a previous declaration wherein only eight colleges from these nations were recognized as accredited providers of degrees acceptable for Nigerian students.
This initiative arose from an investigative report revealing cases of degree acquisition in as little as two months, which entailed a journalist using such qualifications to participate in the National Youth Service Corps program. After this revelation, both the Benin Republic and Togo issued bans on the accreditation and evaluation of their tertiary degrees. Additionally, the Federal Government has initiated an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee focused on addressing certificate fraud.
Tahir Mamman, the then-Minister of Education, announced that over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fraudulent degrees from these foreign institutions, stating that the government will cancel such diplomas. He emphasized the determination to uphold this decision to protect the nation’s reputation from the adverse effects associated with certificates from unverified universities.
Mamman mentioned that many individuals with these fraudulent certificates did not even attend classes abroad, having acquired their degrees through illicit means aided by some local government officials. He urged the private sector to implement similar measures and reassured that those in government positions holding such certificates would be actively identified and dismissed.
While the exact number of dismissals remains unclear, communications dispatched to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies instructed them to execute these actions. An anonymous official confirmed that the dismissals were executed based on recommendations from the committee investigating the certificates.
Furthermore, several agencies have commenced action to adhere to this directive. Caroline Embu, Director of Information for the National Youth Services Corps, verified that five employees had already been terminated in accordance with the directive from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
In summary, the Nigerian government has taken significant measures to exclude civil servants with degrees from unaccredited institutions in Benin and Togo. This initiative aims to uphold the integrity of educational credentials and restore the nation’s image following the emergence of certificate fraud. The cancellation of over 22,500 dubious diplomas exemplifies the government’s commitment to eradicating this issue. The directive will affect various government agencies, indicating a comprehensive approach to ensuring accountability in educational qualifications.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
