BY IFEANYI UWAGWU
The management of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, has refuted allegations of certificate racketeering following claims by journalist Rufai Oseni on social media platform, Facebook.
The report, based on findings by freelance journalist Martin White-Ufuah, claimed that fake National Diploma (ND) certificates were being issued from the institution.
White-Ufuah had alleged that he purchased an ND certificate from the Polytechnic, which falsely awarded him an Upper Credit grade. Oseni, who received the report, described the allegations as troubling, linking them to broader concerns about academic fraud in Nigeria.
In response, the Polytechnic issued a disclaimer, dismissing the claims as baseless and malicious. The institution maintained that the alleged certificate bore no resemblance to its official documents.
It also pointed out that the names of the Registrar, Mrs F. N. Nweke, and the Deputy Registrar (Exams and Records), Mr D. N. Nwanne, listed as authorising officers on the forged certificate, are no longer with the institution, having long retired.
The Polytechnic condemned what it described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and tarnish its reputation.
The Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof. Emmanuel Achuenu, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to upholding academic integrity and warned against the activities of fraudsters seeking to exploit its name.
