USL rejects Minister’s appointment
By Iris Bangura
The University Court has rejected the appointment of a Vice Chancellor by the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education. The rejection also followed the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor by the court.
Head of the Public Relations and Alumni Relation at the University, James Tamba Lebbie told the Epic Morning Show that the appointment by the Minister is illegal.
According to Lebbie “the outgoing Vice Chancellor and Principal had already secured another appointment, prompting the Ministry to appoint Professor Lawrence Kamara in December 2023, citing a perceived vacancy. The appointment is illegal because the ministry or the minister has no mandate to make such appointment and that such power only lies with the chairman of the University Court and also the said individual appointed is not qualified because he is not a sitting deputy vice chancellor as stated in the act.”
Referring to the university’s policy framework, Lebbie pointed to sections 8 and 9, stating, “the act makes provision for a pro vice chancellor and eligibility for such individual that you must be a sitting deputy vice chancellor of one of the constituent colleges of the university of Sierra Leone.”
Last week the Parliamentary Committee on Education tried to negotiate a way out of the impasse by striking a compromise for USL to allow the Ministry’s appointment in Professor Lawrence Kamara to stand at least for six months until all the other differences are ironed out, a move the University court has rejected.
During the hearing, the Ministry contested the legal standing of the current Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Mohamed Samai who has been appointed by USL, claiming a lack of documentation and he is not sitted properly as a result. However, the court, emphasizing a tradition of rotational handling of the position, formally ratified Professor Mohamed Samai as the Pro Vice Chancellor.
These developments may potentially lead to complications across the constituent colleges of the University of Sierra Leone, something which the university spokesman recognized and said they are concerned about a bad precedent.
