Fake Degree Report Among Focus For Today’s Parliament Sitting

Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Fake Degrees and Certificates which is headed by Hon Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella is expected to table its report today Thursday 30 March 2023 during the plenary sitting of Parliament.

This is a result of the infamous Dominion College under-mango tree convocation scandal.

The Committee is also expected to brief parliamentary journalists on some of the major highlights and recommendations of the report subject to the approval of the parliamentary leadership. A major highlight is that the report is making an urgent call to action by sectoral players.

Speaker of Parliament Dr. Chernor Abass Bundu on Wednesday 4th May 2022 appointed the leader of the National Grand Coalition (NCC) party, Hon Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, as chairman of the Select Committee in Parliament to undertake an academic audit on officials holding public offices across the country.

The Parliamentary Select Committee, according to Dr. Bandu, is charged with the responsibility to investigate the authenticity of diplomas, certificates, and degrees of all officials of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in the country.

The Committee was also charged with the responsibility to supervise all Select Committees in Parliament that are charged with the mandate to investigate different sectors or MDA.

It was stated by the speaker that all Select Committees are mandated to request all academic certificates diplomas and degrees for onward investigations.

“The Select Committees should submit all reports to the Academic Audit Select Committee headed by Kandeh Yumkella, which will be submitted bt the parent committed in the Well of Parliament for debate and recommendations will be formulated for action to be taken”, Dr. Bundu said.

Hon Hassan A Sesay of the APC who is the opposition whip during the last sitting in the Well of Parliament stated that Parliament has employed over 300 staff and they are applying with academic qualifications which must be audited now! Hon. Sesay’s statement came after Hon Paul Sam moved a motion for Parliament to conduct an academic audit on Thursday 21st April 2022, during parliamentary sitting, adding that the academic audit must start in Parliament before proceeding to MDA’s.