By Politico staff writer
31 August 2022, witnessed the transfer of leadership from the then Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal,Njala University College, Professor Andrew Augustine Baimba, to the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma.
The Conference of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (CVCP-SL) Chairman, Reverend Professor Edwin J.J. Momoh, noted that the ceremony was larger and more peaceful than the one before it. Professor Momoh also expressed his pleasure working with the new Vice-Chancellor and Principal, describing him as a highly experienced administrator.
Explaining the processes leading to the recommendation for the appointment of Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University, the Chancellor of Njala University who also served as the ceremony's Chairman, stated that Professor Koroma’s appointment underwent a very transparent selection and rigorous process through a committee comprised of very senior academics, representatives from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE)and the Teriary Education Commission(TEC)
Professor Andrew Baimba described his service to his alma mater as a privilege and honour, adding that he was pleased to have completed the three main tasks for which the Government of Sierra Leone sent him to Njala University as Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal. He stated that his objectives included ensuring a smooth transition, supervising a functional and management review of the University, and overseeing the recruitment of a permanent Vice-Chancellor and Principal.
Despite significant challenges, the former Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal stated that his accomplishments span administrative, finance, procurement, audit, estate, infrastructure and academic matters.
He presided over a Management and functional restructuring of Academic Departments and Schools that were validated and endorsed by the university senate and ratified by the court and established the Grounds, Sporting and Recreational Committee and the University Farm Committee. He was also credited for reviving the university's Animal Production Department, rehabilitating the Oil Palm Clonal Garden and ensuring transactions undertaken by the university were pre-audited by the Department of Internal Audit before payments.
Professor Baimba also supported the road and hostel rehabilitation of the Bo Campus, took proactive steps to lay the groundwork using a transition committee report as the basis for a draft Position Paper on Bonthe Technical Institute Management, and paid 35% of the salaries of newly recruited staff who were not yet absorbed into the government payroll. He also visited the campuses to gain firsthand understanding of the prevailing realities on each campus.
After being officially inaugurated as the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Koroma urged everyone to strive to put Njala University first in all of their deliverables, support the complete application of the university's statutes, policies, regulations, and guidelines without fear or favour, and offer opportunities for alumni associations and partners to pool resources for pay back mechanisms.
These aspirations, according to Professor Koroma, can be attained by relying on three complementary pillars: robust revenue generation and mobilisation, financial discipline, and academic and administrative enhancement and discipline.
The new institutional head is focused on improving the quality of service delivery, implementing a part of the university's restructuring plan, extending the institution’s agriculture programme and other projects in community contract farming, agribusiness management, and other business enterprises.
Building partnerships for infrastructural development and entrepreneurship, and actively cooperating with the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education in partnership with the Alumni of Njala University to bring solar mini grids by phases to Njala, and instituting a systematic financial mobilization, transparent financial management and open reporting are his other objectives.
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