Outgoing University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) President Dr. Edna Johnny has highlighted a series of reforms under her leadership -- including salary increases, the elimination of pay disparities and the restoration of NASSCORP services -- while endorsing her vice president, Dr. Alahaji S. M. Dukuly, as her preferred successor in the April 17 elections.
Delivering her farewell address at the ULFA General Assembly on Friday, March 27, at the Fendall Campus in Louisiana, Dr. Johnny urged members to support Dukuly and his slate, framing the vote as a choice to sustain recent gains within the faculty body.
Dr. Johnny said her administration confronted long-standing grievances captured in a 2021 Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Liberia and the University of Liberia -- issues ranging from salary disparities and unpaid benefits to poor working conditions and limited institutional support.
"These outcomes were achieved, including eradication of disparity among faculty and payment of retroactive salary deductions, increment of salaries for all faculty at all levels of the University of Liberia, and the signing of a tripartite agreement among the Government of Liberia, the University of Liberia and NASSCORP to cover UL's debt and restore NASSCORP services," she said, drawing applause from faculty members.
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She added that medical insurance was restored, the Capitol Hill campus was renovated, and progress was made toward implementing promotion policies and developing a comprehensive human resource manual.
"Today, there is a competitive call for applications to fill vacancies, two buses have been procured to transport faculty members to Sinje, and adjunct faculty members have been paid," she noted.
Despite the reported progress, Dr. Johnny acknowledged that several issues remain unresolved, including high rental costs for faculty housing at Fendall, the lack of scratch cards and gas slips for deans and chairpersons, and what she described as ongoing violations of the UL Charter.
She said some reforms were only partially implemented, underscoring the need for continued advocacy and institutional commitment.
Beyond welfare concerns, Dr. Johnny highlighted efforts to strengthen ULFA's institutional capacity, including the establishment of the ULFA Lounge and the University of Liberia Credit Union.
"We have established the ULFA Lounge and the University of Liberia Credit Union to not only ensure the sustainability of ULFA, but also to demonstrate that we can implement what we teach -- and do it successfully," she said.
She noted that the credit union is now addressing urgent financial needs for faculty and staff, while the ULFA Lounge has become a functional hub at the Capitol Hill campus.
"When there is no water or power on Capitol Hill, the ULFA Lounge is the rescue," she added.
Her administration also established an investment board, secured a loan facility of up to $12,000 for faculty members with Ecobank, and initiated key financial and governance reforms, including the development of ULFA's first annual budget and a draft financial manual.
Dr. Johnny said ULFA expanded both local and international partnerships, including collaboration with the Liberia Institute for Policy Studies and Research to host faculty training workshops, as well as engagement with the Chinese Embassy on capacity-building opportunities.
She added that ULFA participated in international platforms, including a continental conference on academic freedom in Accra, Ghana, while strengthening ties with other public universities and internal staff associations.
"We did not only advocate, but we also participated in enhancing change," she said.
According to Dr. Johnny, her administration repositioned ULFA from a purely advocacy body to a key stakeholder in university governance, with representatives now serving on major institutional committees.
"We are no longer considered just an advocacy group but a pertinent member of the University of Liberia," she said.
She also emphasized efforts to improve transparency and accountability, including restructuring ULFA's governance framework and expanding its financial oversight mechanisms.
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Turning to the upcoming elections, Dr. Johnny called for unity and responsibility among members, warning that internal divisions could undermine the association's progress.
"As we approach elections, we must remember that we all belong to an association that is bigger than each of us," she said. "Individually or collectively, we can make or break the association."
She endorsed Dr. Dukuly and his team -- including J. Boima Kiazolu, Orando B. Yanquoi, Eric T. S. Patten, Smith Peters, Geetah S. Saydee and Sammah O. B. Forkeyoh -- describing them as capable of sustaining and advancing the reforms initiated under her leadership.
"Distinguished colleagues, you can now evaluate our leadership and deduce the answer from your earlier question. If you are pleased with your answer, please consider giving those who worked with me the opportunity to build upon what we have started," she said.
Dr. Johnny acknowledged that her administration was not without shortcomings but defended its overall record.
"On behalf of my team, I have come to say thank you, and to apologize in whatever way we may have offended you while in office," she said.
