Mike Odeh James & Ibrahim Tinja
Commends Prof Tahir Mamman For Taking Proactive Measures To Stem Scandals In Higher Institutions
The president of the Association of African Private Universities and founder of four universities in Kano, Maradi, Kaduna and Abuja, Prof Adamu Gwarzo has waded into the certificate racketeering saga that rocked Benin Republic in view of the revelation that universities in Cotonou are issuing fake certificates to Nigerians .
Speaking to journalists in Kaduna, Prof. Gwarzo said the Association of African Private Universities has taken bold steps in trying to see how the matter would be resolved so that the integrity of the universities in Cotonou would be restored while the maximum qualification requirements by Nigeria and other African countries are met by Universities in Cotonou.
“AAPU as an organization, have dispatched a high powered delegation to Cotonou to work with varsities in that country to see how higher institutions in Benin Republic can become Centre of Excellence in Research and Development while their certificates becomes acceptable in Africa as a whole
“Few weeks from now, AAPU delegation to Cotonou will return with it’s reports and we shall be able to sit down and rectify the anomalies that led to the ugly situation.
He further assured that efforts are in place to ensure that students who genuinely acquired their certificates are not victims of the current crisis.
The AAPU vowed that under his leadership no higher institution in Africa would be allowed to scam or be engaged in racketeering of certificates, adding that ” severe penalty awaits any varsity or higher institution that engages in any form of racketeering.
Prof Adamu Gwarzo also commended the Minister of Education, Prof.Tahir Mamman for taking proactive steps in making sure that Nigerian students in and outside the country are not scammed.
” I wish to commend the prompt actions of the Minister of Education for wading into the crisis and ensuring that the right thing is done.
By setting up a committee to ensure that varsities are properly checked and made to operate with the Nigerian Universities Commission ( NUC), Prof Tahir has set the pace for other African countries to follow .
Similarly, he assured that with the mechanism AAPU is putting in place, would go a long way in facilitating and promoting International Certification standards as well as restore the confidence of students and parents in Benin Republic
