The Cross River State government has concluded plans to begin a forensic audit of certificates and qualifications of civil servants in the state civil service from January 2026 to determine the authenticity of most certificates and qualifications paraded by civil servants in the state.

High government sources, who disclosed this to The Guardian in Calabar yesterday, said: “It has become necessary to conduct this audit because we have recently discovered that most of our high-level civil servants parade fake and forged certificates and have risen to top-level positions deceitfully.

“In a particular instance, it was revealed to us that a serving Permanent Secretary in one of the ministries in the state parades a doctorate from a university that has yet to graduate its first set of bachelor’s degree holders. This is an impossible situation, and those who have risen to high ranks in our civil service, under circumstances like this, cannot be allowed to flourish. We have also found massive evidence of falsified, inaccurate and undeserving grade placement of some civil servants.

“This exercise will help them return to correct and appropriate grade levels or show them the exit door.”

The sources also said that they will use the exercise to verify the authenticity, validity, and accuracy of professional certifications presented by civil servants.

The source added that they will be looking for evidence of forgery, alteration, or falsification.

“We will also be checking industry-specific certifications to ensure compliance, as well as ensure that safety standards have been met,” it was also revealed.

According to the source, Governor Bassey Otu has given full backing to the exercise and expects the outcome to place the state’s civil service in a better position to optimally perform.