The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Akwa Ibom, has sounded strong warnings that it would prosecute and layoff any member of its staff found to have presented fake certificates on entry into the service of the institution.
Rector of the Academy, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua (Rtd.) disclosed this at the weekend in an interview.
Effedua said that Academy was making the appeal ahead of the second phase of staff audit, to cleanse the institution of people underserving of employment there.
This second phase audit will involve checks to authenticate the various degrees and diplomas submitted at the point of employment, and it cuts across all categories of staff who submitted such certificates.
The Rector warned that unlike the initial phase where those involved escaped, the Academy has resolved to ensure that the Police are on ground to arrest anyone found to be with fake certificate.
He said: “The second phase is now on those with degrees, and diplomas submitted for employment. This time around. We have resolved that anybody found wanting will be handed over to the Police for prosecution.
“If the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) fails to collect the monies these people had collected illegally as salaries, the Academy will go to court to ensure that the monies collected and are paid back to the government.
“So, those with fake degrees and diplomas should resign now before they are arrested.”
According to the Rector, a total of 19 members of staff were sacked in the first phase of the staff audit.
That exercise involved checking fake certificates of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examination Council (NECO) and the General Certificate Examination (GCE).
The Rector disclosed that the staff audit for fake certificates had started since 2019 with appeals that those involved should leave the system, but the warnings were taken for granted until the ICPC stepped into the matter.
He said that the presence of the ICPC caused 18 members of staff to abscond and from their hiding sent in letters of resignation, which the Governing Council rejected and dismissed a total of 19 staff members found with fake certificates.
Effedua, however, added that: “The Council also let them know that the ICPC will pursue them to a logical conclusion to collect the salaries which they collected illegally.”
The Academy has recently developed its infrastructure and developed its faculty with modern training equipment and professional staff in the pursuit for attaining global standards in maritime education.
