The Federal Government has taken the decisive step of suspending the accreditation and assessment of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo after a concerning report surfaced regarding the rapid acquisition of a degree from a university in Benin Republic within two months, according to Channels TV.
Augustina Obilor-Duru, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, expressed profound concern in a statement on Tuesday.
She highlighted the suspicion that certain Nigerians resort to illicit means to obtain degrees, subsequently pursuing graduate job opportunities they are inadequately qualified for.
“The Federal Ministry of Education vehemently decries such acts and with effect from 2nd January 2024 is suspending evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo Republics pending the outcome of an investigation that would involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and the two countries, the ministries responsible for Education in the two countries as well the Department of State Security Services (DSSS), and the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC),” Obilor-Duru stated.
This inquiry will involve Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the respective education ministries of the two countries, the Department of State Security Services (DSSS), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The Ministry urges Nigerians to provide relevant information to aid the committee in devising lasting solutions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Addressing the ongoing challenge, the statement highlighted the Ministry’s efforts in tackling illegal institutions, both domestic and foreign, that exploit unsuspecting individuals, emphasizing the need for a collective effort to counteract this issue.
“Periodically, warnings have been issued by the Ministry and NUC against the resort to such institutions and in some instances, reports made to security agencies to clamp down on the perpetrators. The ministry will continue to review its strategy to plug any loopholes, processes, and procedures and deal decisively with any conniving officials,” the statement concluded.
