….Regrets payment for project topics, sale of examination questions, marking schemes, others
By Davies Iheamnachor
PORT HARCOURT— Rivers State Government has expressed regrets over alleged payment of illegal levies in the state’s College of Nursing Sciences, describing the development as sad.
The state government, however, ordered for a full scale investigation into the development, stating that anyone found culpable would be punished accordingly.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, who bemoaned the development, reiterated the government’s zero tolerance for corruption of all shades and forms.
Oreh explained that the government received the compliants of extortion in the Department of the college on a sad note, stressing that the illegal fees collected from students of the said department (not mentioned) include payment for professional examinations, questions papers and others.
She said: “Recently, we received several allegations against a specific department in the Rivers State College of Nursing Sciences, and these allegations border on the extortion of unauthorised payments for project topics approvals, sale of examination questions and marking schemes, and bribery for guaranteed pass in what should be professional examinations.”
Oreh noted that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and security agencies have been fully briefed on the development, adding that the ministry has immediately set up an independent investigative panel to investigate the allegations.
She said: “As the Rivers State Ministry of Health was notified of these allegations, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and other security agencies were also notified of these allegations.
“We are not taking these allegations lightly and I am formally informing the public that an independent investigative panel has been constituted by the Rivers State Ministry of Health to deeply investigate these allegations.
“They will be charged with the responsibility of independently investigating all allegations that have been made against this department within the Rivers State College of Nursing Sciences.
“Furthermore, I, hereby announce the suspension of the implicated officials. The Provost of the College of Nursing Sciences has been informed and an acting head of department will be appointed in her stead.
“There will be a full forensic audit of the recent year-two second semester examinations and there will be protection for all students who will come forth to support the investigative panel as they conduct their investigations into these allegations.
“There will also be a comprehensive review of academic and financial practises within the establishment.”
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