JUST IN: President Tinubu Orders Dismissal of Workers with Degrees from Benin, Togo

The Nigerian government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has authorized the dismissal of workers in both public and private sectors who possess fake degree certificates obtained from institutions in Benin and Togo. The decision was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, marking his one year in office.

This move follows the recommendations of an inter-ministerial committee, which was established after an undercover report by DAILY NIGERIAN in December revealed how a degree from Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies (ESGT) in Cotonou, Benin Republic, was easily obtained by a journalist in under two months. The reporter later used the fake certificate to enroll in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), despite having completed the scheme legitimately years earlier.

Minister Mamman emphasized that most of the institutions attended by Nigerian students in Benin and Togo are not accredited to offer degree programs. He pointed out that the federal government had approved these measures during a recent Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Tinubu.

“One of the significant actions we took this year was addressing the issue of Nigerians obtaining degrees from unaccredited institutions in neighboring countries,” Mamman stated. He explained that the committee’s review was submitted to the Federal Executive Council about a month ago, leading to the approval of several recommendations aimed at addressing the issue.

The approved measures include collaboration with agencies like NYSC and Immigration to enforce disciplinary actions against staff found with fake certificates. According to Mamman, the NYSC has identified approximately 21,684 individuals holding fake certificates from Benin Republic, obtained between 2019 and 2023, and another 1,105 from Togo.

Mamman stressed that many of the institutions in question are not recognized even within their own countries. He clarified that in Togo, only three universities are licensed to offer degrees, while Benin has five such institutions. Degrees from any other institutions in these countries are considered invalid.

The government’s directive mandates the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to issue a circular to all employers, instructing them to identify and dismiss employees holding such certificates. The Head of Service has also been tasked with identifying and removing any public servants with degrees from these unrecognized institutions.

“This decision by the federal government is final,” Mamman concluded, signaling a strict stance on the issue.