15 Lecturers Demoted In Ebonyi For Having Forged Certificates
Not less than 15 lecturers of Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo were demoted this weekend over alleged involvement in forging certificates and also claiming to have acquired Ph.D degrees from reputable institutions outside the country.
The management of the college said the purpose of the exercise was to ensure sanity and discipline within the state's education sector and not to witch-hunt any particular person.
This exercise was carried out based on the receipt of the report and recommendations of the committee set up to look into the alleged claims by the lecturers.
“Findings by the committee and letters from the National Universities Commission, NUC, and the
Federal Ministry of Education show that the institutions were neither approved nor recognized by the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Special Adviser to Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State on Higher Education, Professor Mike Ituma, revealed at a press briefing in Abakiliki that the discovery came as a shock and described the action of the affected lecturers as a reflection of the level of decay ravaging the educational sector.
He further commended the action of the management of the college as a step in the right direction and that they have the support of the government.
Mr. Nkwuda Bethrand Otukobelu, the Public Relations Officer of the college in a statement, noted that the 15 affected lecturers would be denied access to run any promotion course packaged by the college till after three years.
Amongst the 15 affected lecturers, 9 have been demoted to Lecturer III, 2 to assistant lecturer and the other 2, to non-academic staff for not possessing relevant qualifications to be in the academic cadre.
Moreso, six of them who enjoyed financial benefits with these certificates are to refund such benefits which accrued to them.
