The United Methodists University (UMU) has threatened to publish the names of former and present lawmakers in noncompliance with payment of arrears for students enrolled under their various scholarship programs at the institution.
Speaking to journalists Monday, June 24, 2024 on the university’s main campus in Monrovia, the President of UMU, Rev. Yar Donlah Gonway-Gono said due to the action of these individuals, the institution has not been able to pay its staff for the last five months.
“Most of those indebted to the university are current and former lawmakers and private individuals. Some of the lawmakers owed the university from US$12,000.00, 13,000.00, 27,000.00, 30,000.00 and 70, 000.00,” she added.
According to her, there are also a considerable number of students financial aid cost that has not been serviced.
Rev. Gonway-Gono indicated that the institution will not survive when its major clients owed over US$200,000.00.
The President of UMU further narrated that the University’s overseas partners, especially those in the United Methodist Church, are not supporting the school due to the global separation issues that the Church is experiencing.
She lamented that in Liberia, the Pastors and members of the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church have not kept their promises to support the university.
“Not only that, but these are also the same people who send their children, relatives and friends here and expect them to be educated free without paying tuition,” the UMU President added.
Madam Gonway-Gono said these financial challenges are not just hurdles to overcome but existential threats adding, “Our ability to pay our faculty and staff to continue operating is at stake.”
She at th same time, called on all sponsors, especially those indebted to the university to make their payments between now and July 6, 2024.
The UMU President threatened that failure for debtors to meet up with their payments, additional actions will be taken, including, but not limited to publishing the names of the debtors.
Meanwhile, the UMU President added that being one of the leading universities in Liberia, UMU is experiencing some of the challenges that come with being a leading institution.
“My team and I have worked and are still working very hard to restore and rebrand this university from what it was before I came. We have had two successful graduations, renovated the university to be a conducive learning environment for our students and we are functioning in five counties of Liberia,” she noted.
