NECO seeks ICPC’s prosecution of employees with fake certificates

The National Examination Council (NECO), yesterday, urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and prosecute some of its employees allegedly working with fake certificates.

Spokesman of ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, added that the Registrar of NECO, Professor Godswill Obioma, made the request during a recent visit to the commission.

He revealed that Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye and other senior management staff of the commission, said the governing council of NECO had discovered that some of employees were working with fake certificates after a staff verification exercise.

Obioma urged ICPC to act on the report of the exercise, which had been submitted to the commission adding, “We want your office to do justice to the report, especially of those culpable for prosecution.”

The NECO boss also sought the commission’s assistance in fighting examination malpractices, saying prior collaboration with ICPC in tackling examination malpractice had yielded positive results.

He added that the continuous partnership with the commission against corruption would give credibility to NECO examinations and processes.

Obioma, who also spoke on the efforts to tackle examination malpractices, also disclosed that the agency would soon introduce Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in examination halls across the country.

He said the CCTV was the new technology-based approach the NECO would soon deploy to improve its operations and reduce corrupt tendencies in the examination body.

Responding, Owasanoye stressed that the issue of fake certificates was becoming widespread in several ‘special centres’ with a view to passing examinations through foul means.

He said the commission was willing to assist NECO in tackling misconducts in the education sector, adding that the prevalence of fake certificates in the workplace was affecting quality service delivery.

“We are delighted that you are focused on dealing with corruption in the education sector. The issue of fake certificates is pandemic and deeply rooted and this partially explains the struggle by government agencies to do better,” he added.