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FG Vows To Weed Out Fake Certificate Holders Across Public, Private Sectors

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7 months ago

May 4, 2024.

FG Vows To Weed Out Fake Certificate Holders Across Public, Private Sectors.
Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, received findings of investigative committee on degree certificate fraud.
Committee highlights low standards, urges digitization of systems, and calls for thorough scrutiny of institutions.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Federal Government, under the leadership of Bola Tinubu, has announced its determination to root out individuals in both public and private institutions who possess counterfeit certificates.

Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, made this declaration in Abuja on Friday while receiving the findings of an inter-ministerial investigative committee tasked with probing degree certificate fraud.

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On January 9, Minister Mamman initiated the committee, chaired by Professor Jubrila Amin, to investigate allegations of degree forgery in both foreign and domestic private universities.

The committee’s mandate included scrutinizing the involvement of ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), or officials in facilitating the recognition and acquisition of fraudulent certificates.

Fake Certificate

Speaking on the findings of the committee, Mamman said the ministry would work with relevant agencies to sanitise the education sector and rid it of any fake tendencies.

The minister pledged to take decisive measures to ensure standards are maintained in the system.

He said: “We can’t afford to have the integrity of our education soiled by some few persons. It is possible that some are carrying fake certificates in public and private organisations that need to be flushed out.

“This report is a product of a thorough investigation. It is sad that someone who should come out from a Nigerian institution with a 2:1 or 2:2 is now parading an international certificate of first class.

“The ministry is determined to take steps to sanitise the system. We can’t afford to let down our country when it comes to standards.”

Earlier, the committee chairman lamented the low educational standards discovered in the schools his team investigated.

He suggested that all agencies in the education sector should digitize/automate their systems, emphasizing the need for prompt intervention.

Amin highlighted that the current accreditation and evaluation process for university results is insufficient.

Consequently, he urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to thoroughly scrutinize institutions offering part-time or sandwich programs in the country.