The management of Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Ekpoma, a state-owned university in Edo State, Nigeria, has revealed that at least 30 students obtained their degrees from the institution while residing outside the country in the last two years.
The shocking discovery was made by the Special Intervention Team (SIT) of the university, which was set up by the state government to reform the school and restore its academic excellence.
Mr. Austin Osakue, a member of the SIT, presented the progress report of the team to Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House, in Benin City, the state capital, last weekend.
According to him, the students were able to write their examinations and graduate with the help of some staff members and heads of departments who have been implicated in the scandal.
He said the suspects have been handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Osakue also disclosed that the management of the school has dismissed five staff members, with 21 others currently undergoing investigation for various criminal offences. He said the staff members were sacked by the Disciplinary Committee of the school after due process.
He added that some of the offences committed by the staff include falsification of results, extortion of money from students, s-xual harassment, plagiarism, and examination malpractice.
Osakue further urged the state government to constitute a Governing Council and begin the process of hiring principal officers for the school, saying that the work done so far by the SIT will not be appreciated unless the school reviews its enabling laws. He noted that the school had keyed into the directive of the Edo State Government and commenced the contributory pension scheme which started on August 1, 2023.
Governor Godwin Obaseki in his response restated his government’s commitment to restoring the lost glory of the institution, preparing it for EdoBEST students who will be ready to gain admission into the school in about five to six years.
He said he would not allow a few people to hold the institution to ransom and vowed to fight and break any resistance to change. He also said he would present a new bill for the university to the Edo House of Assembly at the end of the month for speedy passage.
“We need to clear this school due to the educational reforms we have embarked on as our EdoBEST students will be ready in about five to six years for the university and can’t go into a university whose standard is below where they are coming from.
“Few people have held the institution to ransom; we are ready to fight and break it. If you are a lecturer and you have examined students and have results and failed to present them, you should not expect a salary because you have not completed your work and if it is based on that you want to go on strike again, we are ready for you.
“It’s a fight that is necessary to transform this institution for the students coming. All these reforms and sustainability must be anchored on the new reformed law and we will be presenting the university’s new bill to Edo House of Assembly at the end of the month for speedy passage,” Obaseki said.
The governor further noted that he would commence the search for members of the Governing Council immediately, adding that he would not want to bring in people into the council without having a new law in place. He also said he would assign portfolios to principal officers based on merit and competence.
“Political interference has brought the school to the position it is today. We are saying it’s time to change because we can’t run a university this way because of the students coming behind. We must make it a first-class university that we all will be proud of. It’s only when you have good institutions that you are sure of development,” he said.
Ambrose Alli University was founded as Bendel State University in 1981 by Governor Ambrose Folorunsho Alli. It then became Edo State University in 1992 and took its current name in honour of its founder.
The university offers various programmes in agriculture, arts, communication sciences, education, engineering and technology, environmental studies, law, life sciences, management sciences, medical laboratory science, physical science, social sciences, medicine. The university has a library system that consists of a main library and several outreach libraries. The current vice-chancellor (acting capacity) of the university is Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin.
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