Mbiaso, Nigeria – In response to recent allegations circulating on social media regarding its Public Health program, Maurid Polytechnic (also known as the Maurid Institute of Management and Technology) has released an official statement to clarify its position and uphold the integrity of its academic offerings.
The administration, led by Chairman Dr. Godwin Umontuen, recognizes the potential impact of these claims on parents, students, and the wider community. To reassure stakeholders of the institution’s credibility, Maurid Polytechnic emphasizes its legal standing, having been duly licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and recognized by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The current debate primarily revolves around the Department of Public Health Science, where students enrolled in National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programs were recently informed that Gregory University, a previous partner in offering a top-up degree, would cease its degree issuance due to low quotas.
Following this announcement, Maurid Polytechnic moved quickly to communicate with its students about the situation, ensuring transparency about their pathways to completion. The institution has maintained its commitment to facilitating students’ licensure with the National Association of Public Health Science and has been proactive in addressing any concerns regarding graduation qualifications.
To further support its students, Maurid Polytechnic claimed to have successfully secured provisional approval from the National Association of Public Health Science to advance its Public Health programs, ensuring that students will have the necessary qualifications to excel in their fields. This includes scheduling significant examinations for December 2nd and 3rd, 2024, while inviting students to partake in essential documentation on November 23rd, 2024.
In light allegations, the administration has expressed its determination to protect its legacy in the recent press release:
PRESS RELEASE
Maurid Polytechnic Public Health Program Controversy: Our Side of the Story
The Maurid Polytechnic, Mbiaso wishes to clear the air on allegations going around on social media against the Management and Chairman of the Institution’s Governing Board, Dr. Godwin Umontuen.
We wouldn’t have bothered to join issues with those on a mission to embarrass the Chairman of our Governing Board and the Institution, but for the innocent and unsuspecting public, parents, sponsors, and friends of our great Institution who may be swayed by the viciously offensive publications on social media.
In the first place, Maurid Institute of Management and Technology is licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and is listed on the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for admission into the Institution. Thus, having acquired the legal status to operate, the Institution has, over the years, admitted and graduated students from its various approved departments.
The current controversy about one of our programs: the Department of Public Health Science, where students who were admitted to study for a National Diploma in Public Health as well as a Higher National Diploma in Public Health Science began when one of the Institutions we were affiliated to for our top-up degree program, Gregory University, informed us that they will no longer issue the degree as stipulated in our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) because of their low quota.
Our Institution immediately informed the students of the new development to keep them abreast and aware that it intends to offer them ND and HND as contained in their admission letter; to facilitate the quick indexing of students into the National Association of Public Health Science for their Council Examination and subsequent licensing.
While working to ensure the speedy actualization of the process, the Institution was surprised to see spurious publications against the school – many of which were in pseudo names and from disgruntled students who had dropped out of the Institution, had graduated without writing their final year projects, or still owing the Institution a large amount of fees.
Since the disappointing discontinuance by Gregory University and the need to ensure that students from the department graduate with their qualifying certification, the Institution has taken solid steps and made great leaps to ensure that graduating students from the department are licensed and inducted into the National Association of Public Health Science.
The Institution, after a preliminary investigation, suspended two of its staff who were culpable of misinforming, misleading, and misdirecting the students on the issuance of a degree certificate in public health science. We thereafter moved swiftly to acquire provisional approval from the National Association of Public Health Science to recruit and present students for the award of National Diploma in Public Health and Higher National Diploma in Public Health. We also scheduled our students to join their counterparts in other higher institutions in the country to write the bi-annual examination on December 2nd and 3rd, 2024, and have called on students to turn up for the registration/documentation on Saturday, 23rd November 2024.
The Institution is alarmed and embarrassed by those baseless allegations and is by this release warning some of the students who chose to toe the paths of self-destruct and are bent on frustrating the efforts of the school and that of other students from graduating, that it has taken steps to ensure that they are made to face the law. The Institution will not sit back and allow errant students to destroy its hard-earned reputation.
Copies of the MOU between Maurid Polytechnic and Gregory University, the Provisional approval letter from the Public Health Council, and other documents are available for public view.
Signed:
Dr. Tom FredFish
Registrar
Citizens’ Solution Network Calls for Investigation into Maurid Polytechnic Amid Fraud Allegations
The Citizens’ Solution Network released a statement about alleged fraudulent activities at Maurid Polytechnic. The organization claims that the institution has misrepresented itself as a legitimate educational provider for over 13 years, misleading students and collecting billions of naira in fees without providing accredited qualifications.
The investigation suggests that Maurid Polytechnic, operating in Ikot Affaha, Nsit Ibom, is neither registered as a polytechnic nor authorized to offer programs in fields such as public health and nursing. Citizens’ Solution Network reports over 100 victims who have fallen prey to the institution’s deceptive practices, receiving fake admission letters and incurring financial losses without receiving proper degrees.
The group is now urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the media to investigate the matter, emphasizing the protection of students and the need for accountability among the institution’s leadership. They are also warning potential students and parents to exercise caution, highlighting the risks of engaging with Maurid Polytechnic.
PRESS RELEASE
FRAUD ALERT: PETITION AND PRESS RELEASE ON THE FRAUD OF MAURID POLYTECHNIC AND THE NEED FOR EFCC AND THE MEDIA TO INTERVENE TO END THE FRAUD.
22/11/2024
Citizens’ Solution Network is in receipt of the vital and detailed investigation carried out by our team, within and outside school regarding the educational fraud where an unregistered school that goes by the name “MAURID POLYTECHNIC” on billboard and “MAURID INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY” on its letterhead, is parading itself as a polytechnic in one hand, and an institute of management and technology in another and using both claims to defraud students yearly, running into the tune of billions of naira in cash over the last 13years.
Let it be on public registry that this so called polytechnic/institute is neither a registered polytechnic nor a government approved management and technology institute. A quick search on Corporate Affairs Commission portal will reveal this truth in clear and unambiguous terms. Our organisation is in contact with over 100 victims currently being punished by the school. It will interest you to know that the owner of the said school ran for state house of assembly and even boasted that nothing can be done to bring him to justice.
Yet, it’s sad to note that this very organisation has been operational for over 13years and currently issuing out fake admission, along with admission letters to unsuspecting students while those who ought to have graduated with the so called admission given to them after 4 and 5 years are yet to get the equivalent certificate of Bachelor of Science, that they promised and for which it was said that they gained admission on.
Outside this, over a thousand students have become victims while they have suffered huge financial extortion and unprecedented fraud in the hands of the handlers of the said school which offers fake admission using the letterhead “MAURID INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY” while at the same time hosting a different signpost and billboard in front of its school gate with the name “MUARID POLYTECHNIC” to cajoled the public and victims. They are currently operating in Ikot Affaha, Nsit Ibom in Akwa Ibom.
Citizens’ Solution Network is calling on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the entire media houses in Nigeria to delve into and investigate this horror that is wasting the productive years of young Nigerians seeking admission, while systematically defrauding huge money from this unsuspecting students (both past and present), while offering them fake admission, and unacceptable excuses without equivalent certificates.
It is important to state that neither a management and technology institute nor the said fake polytechnic is authorized to run medical and paramedic courses _ yet this so called MAURID INSTITUTE is busy issuing out fake admission on public health, nursing and other related courses. The Federal Ministry of Education and Akwa Ibom State Government need to also intervene quickly to save more victims. Most importantly, lawyers of good conscience should pick up this case and insist that all monies taken from both past and present students be refunded to the students, while the owners and handlers of the school face substantial jail term as well getting the school to be brought to justice.
Please also, we are using this medium to alert guidance, parents, unsuspecting prospectus and the general public to be aware of what the so called fake MAURID POLYTECHNIC represent and why they need to avoid engaging such school or discontinue any engagement with such organisation.
Please EFFC kindly treat this press release as a huge petition of public importance to prevent further economic crime and harm against Nigerians under the auspices of the handlers of the fraudulent school.
Lastly, we are calling on all media houses to quickly look into this issue and end this fraud by investigating the following persons who own and run the school:
Mr. Godwin Umontuen (Chairman).
Augustine Ukit (Rector).
Mr. Tom Fred Fish (Registrar).
Thomas Ubong Boniface (director of studies).
Victor Akan Asuquo (Dean of Students).
Signed
Richard F. Inoyo
Country Director,
Citizens’ Solution Network.
#Mauridisafraud #DrGodwinumuountumisafraud #Acallforhelp
Conclusion
In response to the allegations made by the Citizens’ Solution Network, representatives of Maurid Polytechnic maintain that they are a legitimate educational institution dedicated to providing quality education to their students. They assert that the school is in the process of obtaining necessary accreditations and that many students have successfully completed programs and received valid qualifications. The institution claims that any complaints stem from misunderstandings or individual grievances rather than systemic fraud.
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