Oyo removes 886 workers from payroll over fake certificates

No fewer than 866 technical personnel spread across the public and civil service in Oyo state have been removed from government payroll following the ongoing staff verification exercise in the state.

Speaking on the development, the Oyo State Head of Service, Soji Eniade, said the onus lied on the affected persons to prove whether their certificates were not fake as many of the affected persons were found not to have taken the three stages of the trade test.

He said: “866 persons cutting across the civil and public service are out of service because they found to have fake trade test certificate. The trade test is in three stages and the majority of them did not sit for the exam. The onus is on them to explain that their certificate is not fake from their issuing authority.”

“If they could prove that their certificate is not fake, they would be reinstated. The government is giving them the opportunity to prove themselves. They should go back to the source of their certificate and confirm,”

Those affected include auto technicians, mechanics, drivers, plumbers, electricians, radio mechanics, carpenters, and bricklayers found to have fake trade test certificates.

The list of those affected also include 483 staff of local governments and others in institutions, core civil service, colleges, tertiary institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The trade test certificate is issued and regulated by the Federal Ministry of Works to those persons who attend technical colleges, towards professionalising technicians’ practice.