Monrovia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has immediately relieved Dr. Julius J.S. Nelson of his position as President of the University of Liberia, responding to the University of Liberia Faculty and Staff Association's (ULFASA) persistent demands for his removal.
Late Monday, the Executive Mansion released a statement disclosing that President Boakai had effectively dismissed Dr. Nelson from his post at the state-run university. This decision follows ULFASA's General Assembly held a week prior at the university's Capitol Hill Campus in Monrovia, where they unanimously resolved to disengage from classroom activities until their longstanding grievances were addressed.
The Executive Mansion statement emphasized that President Boakai, as the Visitor to the University, took this action after several meetings with the University's Board of Trustees and various stakeholders.
In the interim, President Boakai has appointed former University of Liberia President Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh as Acting President to lead the Interim Management Team. "The Board unanimously nominated Dr. Conteh to oversee the search process for a new University President within three months," the release noted.
The Interim Management Team will also initiate necessary reforms and implement the action points conveyed by the President to ensure the University's smooth operation, the Executive Mansion added in the statement.
ULFASA's disengagement from all learning activities stems from unpaid salaries for part-time lecturers and unbearable working conditions for staff. The association announced their continued absence from the Fendell, Sinje, Medical, and Capitol Hill Campuses until Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson and the entire management team resigned from the institution's administration.
Dr. Edna Johnny, President of the University of Liberia Faculty Association, highlighted that faculty and staff at the UL Sinje Campus lack transportation facilities, forcing them to use their modest salaries on commercial bikes, tricycles, or vehicles. Additionally, faculty and staff at Fendell Campus have raised concerns about the lack of ceilings in the AB Building, making classrooms uncomfortable during both dry and rainy seasons.
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ULFASA criticized Dr. Nelson's administration for failing to improve the welfare and working conditions of the university's faculty and staff, resulting in widespread dissatisfaction with the management team.
FrontPage Africa has learned that despite President Boakai's decision, the UL faculty and staff are not ready to return to the classroom until all their demands are addressed without any preconditions, as unanimously agreed upon in the General Assembly. While the body may be willing to allow the administration additional time to address some demands, they insist on a quick resolution for issues they believe can be immediately resolved.
