By Aminata Phidelia Allie
The administration of Fourah Bay College, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Sierra Leone (USL), has reacted to last week`s ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Association (ASA). ASA is demanding the management of the college meets certain of its demands within 21 days or risk an industrial action.
The management said it would have ignored the ASA press release dated 14th April since it was not addressed to the University of Sierra Leone.
“However,” it added, “since the issues concerned have been brought to the public domain by the President of ASA-FBC, apparently with the intention, though rather puerile, to tarnish the image of the University, the University management is constrained to throw light on them with a view to correcting the rather lopsided manner in which they have been presented.”
The ASA`s statement bordered mainly on retirement of senior staff members of the college. It cited the University Court`s decision in 2011 and 2014 that the retirement age of senior academic staff was 70 years. The staff association expressed dismay over the college’s act of “retiring” some of its members-contrary to the Court`s decision.
ASA had also raised concerns about the fact that “many positions within the university are either vacant or serviced by persons in acting capacity.” Issues of the lack of water and electricity supplies in the lecturers’ quarters were also raised in the statement. The academic staff hence threatened an industrial action if the administration failed to address these issues within 21 days.
FBC is the oldest higher learning institution in Sierra Leone and West Africa as a whole. But its administration has over the years faced a lot of challenges, especially in the area of staff welfare. On many occasions, junior and senior staff members have had to withhold their services to the college due particularly to non-payment of salaries and other emoluments due them.
In its press release dated 17th April, the administration explained that the University Court had at a meeting on 12th September 2014 resolved that the matter of the age of retirement for senior academic staff be sent back to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) for a “review of the age of retirement from 65 to 70 years.”
While awaiting a response from TEC, the release says, the university administration had continued to comply with the provisions of the Universities Act 2005, Chapter XI section 30(8) which states that:
“Each senior member of staff or holder of any post specified in this statute shall be required to retire from the thirtieth day of September following the date on which he attains the age of sixty-five, unless the court decides otherwise.”
It went on that communication of the letters of retirement to members of staff due for retirement in September, 2015, as provided for by the universities Act 2005, was in line with the university’s conditions of service which provided for staff, due to retire, to be informed at least six months before the due date.
On the question of filling vacant positions as well as officers holding acting positions in the university, the FBC administration says it was important for the ASA-FBC to bear in mind that the university administration was not the employing authority of the university.
“There are two categories of staff that need to be mentioned here: Executive positions like Vice-Chancellor and Principal (VC&P), Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Provost on the one hand, and Senior Academic and Administrative positions, on the other. In the case of the latter, the Appointments Committee interviews candidates and offers them positions subject to the approval of the Court, while in the case of the former, it is the prerogative of the Court which normally sets up a Search Committee for the purpose of identifying candidates for Court’s approval.
Clearly, the VC&P and the heads of campuses, cannot appoint themselves. This is common sense!” reads the release in part.
On the issue of provision of water at FBC, the administration said it had already made arrangements with the Guma Valley Water Company to supply water to the campus. In addition, it said steps were being taken to have a bore hole drilled out for a more regular supply of water to the campus.
“The Faculty of Engineering and Architecture has provided professional service on this and action is being taken to award the contract to a driller,” the release noted.
Politico made several efforts to talk to the president of ASA-FBC, Charles Silver, but he would not respond to our call.
© Politico 21/04/15
