The Civil Service Agency (CSA) is making significant strides in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of the sector by identifying and addressing issues related to ghost employees and financial mismanagement. As it stands, the CSA is expected to audit the University of Liberia anytime soon, according to the Acting President of the University Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 on Capitol Hill, Dr. Conteh said he, along with his team, has held an initial meeting with Auditor General Mr. P. Garswa Jackson to discuss the auditing of the University.
He said the audit will begin early September up to the end, which will be comprehensive based on the university’s financial statement from both past and present leaderships of the nation’s highest learning institution.
Commenting on the issue of salary disparities, Dr. Conteh said he’s making frantic effort regarding salaries for faculty and staff. “We are currently working with the representatives of the University of Liberia Faculty and Staff Association (ULFASA) Liaison Teams to the Interim Management Team of the University to regularize the Adjunct (formerly part-time) Faculty payroll.”
Also, he’s working with ULFASA to address the many issues bedeviling the adjunct faculty salary, including, agreeing on the rules and regulations for instructional analysis and contracts for only current adjunct faculty.
Accordingly, Dr. Conteh is collaborating with the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning, State, and Public Works to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the Capitol Hill and Fendall campuses.
Dr. Conteh said, “We have been working with the two Ministries to ensure that the University’s remaining budget from a total of $37 Million for FY is implemented in time to meet expenditures for the rest of the year.”
He said the Ministry of Public Works is also helping them to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the four campuses of the university to ensure that the essential facilities are in place before the commencement of the next academic year.
“We have also been simultaneously touring campus facilities to get first-hand information on the state of the physical plant,” he said. The purpose of the briefing is to provide an update with respect to the seven tasks of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Visitor of the University, who mandated the Interim Management Team (IMT) of the Board of Trustees to carry these tasks during the university’s interim period.
At the same time, the UL Acting President said his team has initiated the procurement process to acquire a bus for students at Fendall, and has been working with students to address their concerns and are hoping that the said work on the physical plant will address their concerns to provide an amicable learning environment.
“We have spent a considerable degree of time with student groups, especially regarding violence on the main campus of the University that has led to injuries and the disruption of classes. We are working to take corrective measures including: implementing measures provided in the Student Handbook and organizing a counseling retreat this weekend for the students at the Fendall Campus of the University,” Dr. Conteh said.
