By Oluwabukunmi
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Delta State Polytechnic chapter, Ogwashi-Uku, has declared a two-week warning strike over alleged certificate racketeering that has plunged the institution into crisis and public embarrassment.
The industrial action, which began on Tuesday, follows months of unresolved controversy surrounding claims that certificates were issued to individuals who never attended the institution.
The allegations were first raised by a whistleblower, Raphael Ufua, who accused the polytechnic’s principal officers of being involved in large-scale certificate fraud — a claim the union described as false, unverified, and damaging.
Addressing journalists, ASUP Chairman, Dr. Michael Ohana, said the issue had tarnished the reputation of both the school and its staff, and that the state government’s failure to act decisively had worsened the situation.
“A serious cause for concern is how the yet-to-be-verified result racketeering issue has permeated social media, bringing staff and the institution into public disrepute,” Ohana stated.
He lamented that the controversy had affected staff morale and eroded confidence in the school’s integrity.
“Our members are the worst hit. When we relate with the world outside, we can no longer proudly say we are staff of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku,” he said.
Ohana noted that the strike became necessary after the government failed to resolve lingering disputes between the Governing Council and the Management of the institution despite several meetings and ultimatums.
He recalled that in February 2025, the Governing Council suspended the Registrar over unverified allegations of result racketeering, while in July 2025, the Rector was similarly suspended over financial impropriety — a decision later reversed by the state governor for lack of due process.
“Despite relentless union efforts, these issues continue. Therefore, ASUP suspends its services to the state government for 14 days, hoping the government will act on reports from investigative committees rather than form endless new ones,” Ohana added.
The union also condemned the alleged harassment of staff by the Nigerian Police, claiming that some Heads of Department had been summoned to Abuja for questioning over suspected forged results.
ASUP called on the state government to rein in the Governing Council and ensure it operates within its legal mandate, in line with best practices in tertiary education governance.
The union further demanded the arrest and prosecution of the whistleblower, Raphael Ufua, accusing him of spreading falsehoods that had “brought disgrace and public disrepute upon the institution.”
ASUP insisted that the so-called result forgery was an isolated act carried out by individuals who were neither principal officers nor members of the institution’s management, stressing that the scandal had been blown out of proportion.
The two-week strike, according to the union, is intended as a warning to the Delta State Government to urgently restore normalcy, protect the integrity of the institution, and address the grievances of its academic staff.
