By Yusufu Sesay

Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has on Tuesday 19th January, 2021 in a dialogue meeting held at Fourah Bay College Campus called on the lecturers of the University of Sierra Leone for shared solidarity to the students and people of Sierra Leone.

He further implored the lecturerers to look at the prevailing realities and show understanding that this year government cannot afford 100% increased of their salaries but assuring them of 25% increment effective April this year.

The Vice President was passionate on his plead while reminding the lecturers that these are extra-ordinary times where the covid-19 pandemic are taking heavy pole on the health and economy of this country with huge lost of revenue in 2020.

“This is an extra-ordinary times for a country that lost Le1.5 trillion revenue in 2020 as a result of covid-19 struck. But this is the same country that factors salaries increment of 25% to lecturers in 2021 national budget, progressively increased subventions to universities. However, extra-ordinary times like this need extra-ordinary sacrifices ” he averred.

According to him, he was there in the dialogue meeting to lay the basis for a sustainable engagement that will address this issue in a more sustainable manner. He said that as a government they wanted to agree on a framework that will allow the team they are going to put in order to continue engagement with these lecturers.

VP Juldeh Jalloh registered President Julius Maada Bio’s commitments on the transformation of universities with shared responsibilities with universities administrators in order to achieve his flagship
programme of human capital development for country’s transformation.He further assured for the opeartionalize of the students loan scheme that will bring more more income and enhance payment of funds to colleges and universities in the country.

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