By Seyi Odewale
Authorities of Ambrose Allu University (AAU), Ekpoma have queried, Dr. Omoregie Nosa, the Acting Head of the Department (HoD) of Accounting of the institution over allegations bordering on massive certificate and transcript racketeering at the institution.
Omoregie was also accused of establishing a cybercafé, which was dedicated to the illegal issuance of fake certificates and transcripts of the University.
A query with Ref. FEG/SSA/P.3358/177 which followed a report by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) said that the cybercafé owned by the lecturer of the university “has been observed to be engaged in the production of fake certificates and transcripts.”
The query dated December 12, 2023, and issued by the Registrar, Mr Ambrose Odiase, pointedly accused the acting HoD of issuing a fake certificate to one Osolase, Deborah Ebarekenta, a graduate of the Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science.
Odiase continued, “There is a Directorate of State Security report that your Cyber Café has been observed to be engaged in the production of fake certificates and transcripts.”
According to the registrar, the allegation against the acting head of the department bordered on indiscipline and insubordination, as well as lack of respect for constituted authority.
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Omoregie, who was ordered to respond to the query within 48 hours, was also accused of gross misconduct, an allegation which is prejudicial to the interest of AAU Law 1999 (as amended) as well as the Senior Staff Regulations and Scheme of the University 2010 (as amended).
Recall that the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had in a memo dated July 2, 2021, to the former vice-chancellor, Prof Ignatius Onimawo, accused the embattled teacher of extortion unauthorised collections of money such as the selling of file which goes for about N100 for a whooping ₦1,000
In the joint memo by Dr Monday Igbafen, the former chairperson of the AAU chapter of ASUU, and Dr A.A Aizebioje-Coker and the secretary of the union also accused him of using his office as Acting HoD to collect ₦30,000 per post-graduate student for presentation/defence of proposals/seminars against the approved regulation of the Senate.
The petition of Igbafen and Azebioje-Coker read, “Dr Omoregie, using his office as acting Head of Department, has been collecting from the part-time students between ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 under the guise of checking for missing results. The phenomenon of missing results has since been outlawed by the Senate of the university.”
ASUU also charged him with the conversion of departmental properties such as a new 5KVA generator donated to the department by the Accounting Student Association (NUASA) 2018/2019 executives, 20 plastic chairs donated to the department by the post-graduate students, a laptop and projector bought for the department by the postgraduate students for personal use amongst other allegations of financial impropriety.
The unionists added, “For over two years, Omoregie as Acting Head of the Department did not call for any Departmental Board of Studies (DBS) meetings and results were never tabled for approval by the board.
“During this same period, allocation of courses and allocation of research essays were also not considered and approved by the board before public display.”
