Njala University, 16th November 2020— The Honorable Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has on Friday 12th November concluded a one-day working visit to Njala University on the request of His Excellency the President, Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio.
The Vice President’s delegation had included Ministers of Information and Communication, Internal Affairs, Minister of State in the Vice Presidents Office, Madam Francess Alghali, Deputy Minister Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Turad Senessie, Chairman Tertiary Education Commission, Professor A.M. Aghali, and the Resident Minister South, Mohamed A.K Alieu.
Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh was first received at Njala Campus, Njala University earlier in the day by the Acting Chairman of Court, Joseph Munda Bindi, the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Osman Sankoh, Mallam .O. the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Njala Campus, Professor Mohamed Bashiru Koroma and other members of the Administrative and Academic Staff.
The Honourable Vice President later inspected the aging water treatment and supplies facility, the electricity powerhouse, and the burnt building all at Njala Campus.
Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh in the afternoon headed for the Kowoma Location which is host to the School of Community Health Sciences and inspected teaching and learning facilities.
The climax of his visit was the Towama location at the Bo Campus where he later addressed the Academic and Administrative Staff of the University.
Acting Chairman of Court who anchored the Program expressed his delight as Acting Chairman of Court to host the Honourable Vice President at Njala University.
He reported to the Vice President the numerous challenges confronting the effective functioning of Njala University and the strides taken on a daily basis by the Court to massage these issues.
Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Mallam .O. welcomed the Vice President officially to Njala University on behalf of the University and the traditional leaders.
He highlighted the contributions of Njala University to the President’s Human Capital Development and the Medium Term Development agenda and also expressed the deepest appreciation of his administration and students for the support so far received from the Government to boost the fire disaster response in both campuses on behalf of his supervisory Ministry.
Professor Sankoh also used the occasion to appeal to the Vice President and the Government of His Excellency to a plethora of issues confronting the University including; liabilities of staff retirees, lack of sustainable energy, and water supply, deplorable roads, inadequate and delayed subvention amongst several others.
He appealed to the Government to come to the aid of the University and expressed confidence that the Government has the wherewithal to resolve the issues he highlighted especially so when they have Human Capital Agenda as their flagship Project.
President Academic Staff Association, Claude Dimoh comprehensively took the Vice President through several issues ranging from violations of the 2005 University Act, challenges affecting the welfare of Staff and students, teaching-learning and research, and called for the Government to pay attention to HEI’s.
Mr. Dimoh pinpointed that the failure of the Government to improve the infrastructure at various HEI’s had the tendency to undermine the Free, quality Education flagship agenda of the Government.
Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh while responding to ASA and the administration disclosed that they are concerned as a Government that the Governance of HEI’s across the country had got fundamental flaws and needed a thorough and progressive overhaul.
He assured the University authorities that he has cataloged the challenges confronting Njala University into four namely: Staff and student welfare issues; teaching and learning infrastructural challenges and accrued liabilities and disclosed that Government will immediately look at the issues of energy, water, and the infrastructure facing teaching and learning.
He went further to express the desire of the Government to develop a sustainable roadmap together with ASA and the University authorities to resolve the perennial challenges confronting higher educational institutions in the country.
We will develop an Educational Trust Fund that will effectively handle the infrastructural needs of HEI’s in the country rather than relying on the classical budget, VP Juldeh Jalloh concluded.
For more enquiries contact the Public Relations Office, Njala University/+23276336213/+23276245292/Email:akoroma1@njala.edu.sl /rssesay@njala.edu.sl
