Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh, former Acting President of the University Of Liberia (UL), has refuted allegations that his administration mismanaged over US$34 million allotted for campus renovations.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Spoon TV Reporter, Sylvester Choloplay, at the UL Fendall Campus on January 10, 2025, Dr. Conteh said the University of Liberia did not receive funds for the renovation of its facilities during his short time as Acting President. Instead, his role alongside the Interim Management Team was to identify infrastructure deficits, formulate budgets for renovations and present recommendations to the government.
He said his administration received $34 million for which some portion was to be used for campus renovations.
“As Acting President, I did not receive money nor did my administration received funds intended for renovations. The university’s 2024 budget amounted to a little over $33 million, which was controlled by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. Of that, 80% was allocated to personnel costs, including salaries for instructors and faculty members, while the remaining 20% went towards maintaining university facilities and purchasing fuel or gasoline.”
Conteh said UL has not received operational funding for the past nine years, with most of its budget directed toward salaries. Additionally, insufficient funds resulted in delays in payments to some part-time instructors.
On the issue of renovation, Dr. Conteh disclosed that an assessment conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works estimated a total of $13.1 million needed to renovate all campuses of the University of Liberia. Of this amount, $3.92 million was allocated for building renovations, $9.25 million was budgeted for the construction of access roads using concrete pavement.
“We identified the structural weaknesses of the university’s infrastructure and prepared a comprehensive plan to address them. However, there were no funds provided for renovations during my tenure,” he said.
According to Dr. Conteh, his tenure as Acting President, from July 2024 to January 2025, was marked by several notable accomplishments despite the university’s financial and operational challenges.
He named accomplishments including the resumption of Academic Activities on July 1, 2024, after months of disruptions, with final examinations conducted between July 15 and August 16, 2024; the successful 104th Commencement Convocation, graduating 2,685 students, including 2,092 undergraduates and 593 graduate and professional students; introduction of doctoral programs in biomedical sciences and public health in collaboration with UNDP and Orange Innovation was a significant milestone; procurement two new 17-seater buses for the Straz-Sinje campus in Grand Cape Mount County at a cost of $79,000, funded through UL’s endowment managed by the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia (TDEL), as well as addressing key students’ concerns, laying the groundwork for improved campus life and academic access across UL’s campuses. Courtesy: Sylvester Choloplay
