Trail Reporters
Following two detailed reports published by Trail Reporters News about the alleged corrupt practices perpetrated by some officials in Delta State Local Government Service Commission which involved illegal promotion of the Head of Personnel Management (HPM) in Charge of Uvwie Local Government Council, Mr. Akpodiete Joseph, who was alleged to have forged documents to sit for the Competitive Compulsory Examination for Administrative Officers of the Commission which is usually conducted by the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, Asaba, Delta State,
the embattled HPM in charge of Uvwie Local Government Council, Mr. Akpodiete Joseph, we gathered has been running from pillar to post to see how his corrupt practices could be covered up before the Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) commences full investigation on his case of alleged forgery and impersonation.
Sources within the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Asaba, informed our correspondent that some top officials from the Delta State Local Government Service Commission visited the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, Asaba last week, to request for the signed forms belonging to Mr. Akpodiete Joseph with which he illegally sat for the Compulsory Competitive Examination when he was not qualified to write such examination meant for only Administrative Officers in 2002/2003 as clearly spelt out in the Circular letter released by Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, Asaba, with the sole intentions to doctor or outrightly destroy such documents which are strong evidence of his forgery/impersonation, and that he is not alone in the corrupt practices because his forms were signed by his then HPM who will also be indicted if the documents are not doctored or destroyed from the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education.
Sources also confirmed to our correspondent that some undisclosed amounts of cash had been allegedly doled out to some Administrative Officers/Clerk in the Ministry to sought out the forged documents from their records of the examination conducted for Administrative Staff of Delta State Local Government Service Commission in the year 2002/2003. One of the Aides to the Executive Governor of Delta State, confided in our Reporter that his boss is angry with the embarrassment the scandal has caused the State and will not hesitate to slam his sledge hammer on any one found culpable in perpetrating corrupt practices in the Commission.
Efforts to Speak with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, Asaba, on his telephone line 08037567*** was not successful, as he did not respond to text message sent to him. The Commissioner for Basic Education in the state, Mr.Patrick Ukah, when contacted, said, “I don’t know what you are talking about. Joseph Akpodietie had also declined comment on the issue.
