By Saio Marrah
The President of the Academic Staff Association of Njala University says they will not attend a meeting scheduled for tomorrow with the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, aimed at ending the ongoing strike by lecturers.
Claude Dimoh says the meeting is pointless and they will only meet with the Chancellor and President, Julius Maada Bio.
Acting on behalf of President Bio, the VP is scheduled to meet a representative group of striking lecturers of the country’s three public universities – University of Sierra Leone, Njala University and the Ernest Bai Koroma University.
The industrial action has thrown into doubt the reopening of the institutions, leaving the fate of thousands of students in limbo.
They have stopped work over pay and conditions which include their demand for a 100% pay rise.
“We have gone past meeting the Vice President, because we met with him last year so he has nothing new to offer,” Dimoh told Politico.
He said his colleagues who retired years ago were still languishing without their benefits having been paid.
Those who have been promoted have also not had the corresponding difference in their salaries reflected, he added.
He said they would meet with no one but President Bio.
Tomorrow’s meeting with the vice president is scheduled to go ahead regardless, with the other two public universities having confirmed their attendance.
“The government of Sierra Leone has convened a meeting to be by the Hon. Vice President of Republic Of Sierra Leone scheduled for Tuesday 19th January, 2021 at 11:00 a.m at the new multipurpose Building, Fourah Bay College Campus, Mount Aureol, Freetown,” reads a letter from the USL administration to their academic staff association. The president of the association, Dr Williette James has confirmed that they will attend.
USL began their industrial action after the Minister of Finance announced the 2021 annual budget that catered for a 25% salary increase for public workers including staff in state universities.
Quoting the Universities Act, they say their salary is supposed to be increased by 100% because of inflation and the fact it should have been reviewed up to three times from 2011 when the last adjustments happened.
The Vice Chancellor of EBK University, Prof Edwin Momoh has confirmed to Politico that they have been invited to the meeting and they will also attend.
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