(DDM) – The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared a two-week strike at Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, following revelations of an alleged certificate fraud scandal involving top officials of the institution.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the shutdown was prompted by a whistleblower’s petition accusing management officials of issuing certificates to individuals who never attended the school.
The whistleblower, identified as Mr. Raphael Ufua, alleged that the fraudulent scheme involved backdating academic records and manipulating the results database to create fake credentials for non-existent students.
According to reports, the alleged racketeering network had operated for several years undetected, raising concerns about the credibility of qualifications issued by the institution.
ASUP Chairman, Dr. Michael Ohana, said the union’s decision to suspend work was a necessary step to safeguard academic integrity and compel government intervention.
He lamented that the scandal had “severely tarnished the institution’s reputation” and demoralized both staff and genuine students who have upheld the polytechnic’s academic standards.
“The integrity of our institution is at stake,” Dr. Ohana said. “We cannot continue business as usual when the foundation of our credibility is being destroyed.”
He accused the Delta State Government of negligence, noting that repeated calls to resolve the lingering crisis between the school’s Governing Council and Management had gone unanswered.
The union leader emphasized that the strike was not only a protest against corruption but also a demand for accountability and institutional reform.
He urged security agencies to halt what he described as “unwarranted harassment” of staff members linked to the ongoing investigation, insisting that due process must be followed.
ASUP also called for the prosecution of the whistleblower if found guilty of malicious defamation, but maintained that the allegations must first be thoroughly investigated by independent authorities.
Insiders told DDM that the controversy has triggered panic among students and parents, as the validity of certificates issued in recent years may now come under scrutiny.
The strike action has brought academic and administrative activities in the polytechnic to a complete halt, with lecturers and non-academic staff participating in the industrial action.
Sources within the institution said that several files and computers have been seized as part of an internal audit to verify the claims.
Observers note that the case underscores growing concerns over result manipulation and certificate forgery in Nigeria’s higher institutions, a trend that has dented the global reputation of the country’s education system.
Civil society groups and anti-corruption advocates have urged the state government to ensure transparency in the probe and to safeguard whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing in public institutions.
As the two-week strike continues, stakeholders warn that if the allegations are not properly addressed, it could lead to long-term damage to the credibility of Delta State Polytechnic and similar tertiary institutions nationwide.
