About 25 lecturers of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State have been demoted by the management of the school due to their involvement in corrupt activities.
Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit (ACTU) of the school, Mr. C. Chukwuma disclosed this during a working visit of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Imo State office led by the Head, Mr. Sakaba Ishaku to the polytechnic.
Chukwuma who expressed the tough stance of the school on corruption noted that ACTU with support from the management of the school, had helped to reduce the incidence of corruption within the school.
He said, “ACTU has been very vigilant on issues of indiscipline. This has resulted in the demotion of about 25 staff members of the school in the past 12 months. ACTU has been able to effectively minimize cases of illegal sales of academic literature, gratification, sorting and sexual harassment in the school.”
In a related development, the management of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) has rusticated over 500 students over their involvement in various offences prohibited by the school.
FUTO ACTU Chairman, Professor N. Okeudo stated that the school had expressed its zero tolerance for corruption by rusticating the students, banning sale of handouts and punishing lecturers indicted for sexual harassment of students.
Professor Okeudo who spoke to ICPC staff from Imo State office led by Ishaku noted that ACTU had been very functional in the school leading to investigation of plagiarism, illegal sales of text books and bribery allegations against staff.
He said, “ACTU had been involved in the provision of a Complaint Box for the school community and publication of anti-corruption articles to sensitise the school community against corruption. We have shown zero tolerance for corruption by working closely with the school management to achieve it. Our actions had led to the rustication of over 500 students for various offences. We are working against illegal sales of text books and handouts. We are investigating cases of plagiarism and bribery amongst staff which has led to a female staff absconding.”
Mr. Ishaku, in his responses to the heads of ACTU of the two institutions, maintained that the visits were prompted by the need to have a national coverage of activities of all ministries, departments and agencies by the Commission.
He added that the Commission would ensure continued collaboration with ACTU members in various government establishments to reduce corruption in the country.