By Our Reporter
WARRI, 19TH (URHOBOTODAY)If report reaching us about the on-going screening of certificates of the staff of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to ascertain the authenticity of their certificates is anything to go by, no fewer than 600 staff of the commission would be found wanting of applying with fake certificates at the end of the exercise.
Fakes certificates used by the indicted staff were in the category of Masters, Post-Graduate Diplomas, Degrees and School certificates. Both senior and junior staff were alleged to have been indicted in the report.
Staff of the Commission however cried out that the exercise would not be executed in good faith, expressing fear that it is probably done in order to expunge those who are not in good book of management out of the commission.
Just barely a week when the Commission commenced the screening exercise, Urhobotoday gathered from Isoko Representative of the Commission, Arch. Joseph Ogeh during interaction with selected media that no fewer than six hundred staff in the pay roll of the commission working with fake certificates had already been fished out. That is to say more would join by the end of the exercise.
Ogeh who made the startling revelation disclosed that the fake certificates were discovered in the process of the screening which commenced a week ago, adding that as soon as the screening was concluded the result would be made known to the public by the Commission.
Further investigation by Urhobotoday however revealed that the screening exercise may not be in good fate hence argument in some circle insinuated that the exercise is probably been executed in order to witch-hunt those perceived to be vibrant and found of challenging the management of corrupt practices among other vices.
“What is happening in DESOPADEC now is nothing but to witch hunt individuals seen as vibrant and obstacles to the corrupt management. The aim of the screening is to sack some persons innocently and replace them with their cronies, girl friends, lovers, relations and those who cannot challenge the management when they start all this their corrupt practices. DESOPADEC job is paddy, paddy job, who know man,” A staff who spoke under the condition of anonymity confided in Urhobotoday.
Further investigations alleged that the commission had been involved in indiscriminate sacking of staff and replacing them with persons “loyal” to management.
It was alleged that some time ago, a Head of Departmeent (HOD), with Master was sacked indiscriminately and immediately replaced with a fresh graduate as the new HOD by the management.
Meanwhile, workers have threatened to make the commission ungovernable if the outcome of the screening which they described as kangaroo is not carried out in good fate as it ought to be done.