By Politico Staff Writer
The Court of the University of Sierra Leone (USL), the highest decision-making body in the institution has approved and ratified the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), Professor Mohamed Samai, as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, putting him a position to run the University until a new Vice Chancellor is appointed.
This action overturns the earlier decision by the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education to appoint Prof. Lawrence Kamara as Vice Chancellor.
A media advisory issued by the Directorate of Public Relations, Alumni & International Affairs of USL on the 25th January 2024 stated that the University Court held meetings to discuss and arrive at this decision. It indicated that the Court “upheld and maintained its decision” made on the 16th of January 2024 for approval and ratification of a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of USL, quoting sections of the Universities Act, 2021.
The University Court also officially approved and ratified the existing procedure of rotating the position of Pro-Vice Chancellor of USL in the following order - Fourah Bay College (FBC), the College of Medicine and Allied Sciences (COMAHS) and the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM).
The Court made “its position clear in the advisory that it did not recognize Professor Joseph Aruna Lawrence Kamara as the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal” of USL.
According to the document the Court decided to approve and ratify Prof. Samai as Pro-Vice Chancellor because he was a sitting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) at COMAHS, citing a section of the 2021 Universities Act, and who they said has been performing the duties of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor since November 2022. “This means Prof Samai as the Pro Vice-Chancellor is the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of USL in line with Section 8(5) of the Universities Act, 2021,” part of the advisory reads.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (26/01/24)
