The Rivers State Government has suspended head of one of the departments linked to alleged occurrence of extortion, including money-for-marks and the sale of examination papers, at the State College of Medical Sciences in Port Harcourt.
The institution has been in the news for this wrong reason.
Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, announced the suspension of the unnamed department head and the commencement of a full-scale investigation into the allegations with those charged with handling the probe under a committee listed.
Oreh said the committeee is chaired by Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, saying the step became necessary due to series of complaints against the institution, bordering on allegations of students being compelled to pay for the approval of project topics.
“This briefing is to demonstrate the firm position of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, and indeed the Rivers State Government, on zero tolerance for corruption in any shape or form.
“Recently, we received several allegations against the Rivers State College of Nursing Sciences, specifically within a department in the college. These allegations border on the extortion of unauthorised payments for project topic approvals, the sale of examination questions and marking schemes, and bribery for guaranteed passes in what should be professional examinations.
“As soon as the Rivers State Ministry of Health was notified of these allegations, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and security agencies were also informed.
“We are not taking these allegations lightly and are formally informing the public that an investigative panel has been constituted by the Rivers State Ministry of Health to deeply investigate these allegations,” she announced.
According to her, the committee would independently investigate all allegations levelled against the department within the Rivers State College of Nursing Sciences.
“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 come forward to support the investigative panel as it carries out its assignment,” she added.
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