Africa 24 news
By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
Reports say the Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Dr. Ramatulai Wurie and the Acting Registrar, Madam J.S. Lebbie, are alleged to have, again, for the second time, illegally violating The University Act of 2021.
Professor Aiah Lebbie has been newly appointed as the acting vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Sierra Leone (USL).
His appointment was said to have been wrongfully done as majority of USL’s lecturers are dismayed over the process leading to his selection by the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education.
“I write to inform you that professor Aiah Lebbie has been appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone, through a letter from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education dated 20th February, 2024.
“We are, therefore, kindly requesting that you receive him as an officer of the university, and assist him with whatever help he may request. We congratulate professor Lebbie on his appointment and wish him successful tenure as head of the university,” an official letter by the university reads in part, signed by Madam J.S. Lebbie, USL’s Acting Registrar.
The Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone is also Chairman of the USL Court, the highest administrative decision-making body of the university. USL comprises the Institute of Public Administratin and Management (IPAM); Fourah Bay College, and College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS).
However, on the appointment of the latest USL’s appointment, key sections of the University Act of 2021, are “being breached” or flouted by the minister or authorities of the tertiary education ministry.
Relying on a clarity of explanation by the act, section 8 subsection 2 reads that: “ a Vice-Chancellor and Principal under subsection (1), shall be appointed by the Chancellor on the advice of the Minister on such terms and conditions as the Court may determine.
This means a minister of tertiary education in any government only reserves the authority to give advice in situations of principal’s appointment, but has not the right to appoint.
A section in the act states further that: “The advice of the Minister under subsection (2) shall be based on the recommendation of a joint search Committee of the Court and the Commission.”
And that in section five, the document espouses that: “Where the office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal is vacant or, if for any reason, he is unable to perform the duties of his office, the Pro Vice-Chancellor shall perform the duties of the Vice-chancellor and Principal until the Vice-Chancellor and Principal resumes his duties or another is appointed to that seat.
Earlier, tertiary education ministry came on a bad spotlight as its boss, minister Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, was believed to have wrongfully appointed Professor Lawrence Kamara as acting vice-chancellor. Professor Kamara, who is believed to be above 65 years, had passed the retired age of work.
Senior lecturers of the university have said the minister has been flouting USL Act of 2021. The source quotes several sections as contained in the act: “The Act is very clear in Section 8(5) that in the absence of the substantive Vice-Chancellor and Principal, a Pro Vice-Chancellor (provided for in Section 14(2) (b) performs that role/function.
“Furthermore, the Act is very clear in Section 9(1) on the appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor–that he/she must be appointed from among the existing Deputy Vice Chancellors of FBC, IPAM, and COMAHS.”
It is important to note, the source added, that there is a sitting Pro Vice-Chancellor, who by law should act in the absence of the substantive VC&P until the USL Court and Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) puts together a Search Committee for the appointment of a new VC&P as referenced in Section 8(3) of the Act.
After barely a month, the minister’s appointment of Professor Lebbie, has been profoundly criticized again by senior academics of the university. On both appointments, according to a response by a senior lecturer at USL, the minister, had acted ultra vires (beyond her powers), in the selection of the two acting vice-chancellors.