Sanniquellie, Nimba County – The president of the Nimba County Community College (NCCC) has disclosed that the Government of Liberia, the county administration and ArcelorMittal are in US$627,000 debt with the college.
The disclosure was made by the president of the college, Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor, Saturday, January 12, during the 4th commencement convocation in Sanniquellie, Nimba.
He explained that currently the college is now faced with multiplicity of challenges critical among which is the issue of finance.
Professor Wonkeryor told the gathering that upon his assumption as president, the college’s coffers were almost completely empty. He disclosed that the Ministry of Finance owes the college US$77,000 in undisbursed allotment for fiscal year 2017/2018.
Dr. Wonkeryor also explained that in the county social development allotment from 2012 to 2016, the county owes the college US$150,000 while the mining company, ArcelorMittal, which is operating in Yekepa has liabilities in the tone of US$400,000 since 2011. According to him, this amount includes US$50,000 as per the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) between ArcelorMittal and the Liberian Government.
“Accordingly, the Nimba County Community College is to receive the amount of US$50,000 annually by virtue of the college’s proximity to Yekepa, the operation area of ArcelorMittal since 2011 up to 2018,” he further stated.
The NCCC President also announced that the administration of the college has the liabilities for goods and services to various vendors amounting to US$174,607.52.
The college’s president further disclosed that they are indebted to vendors in the amount of US$71,861.87 while the college owes US$15,745.65 for goods and services from 2018/2019 and US$87,000 resulting to the total of US$174,607.52.
Dr. Wonkeryor had taken over the NCCC after he left similar post in Maryland County.
He now faces many challenges including lack of logistics and qualified faculty and staff and students’ housing/dormitories, among others.
The college graduated 126 students from 14 disciplines, including 25 students from the Department of Science and Agriculture, while 32 graduated from Forestry, 118 from General Agriculture, 19 from Geology and 62 from Laboratory Technology, Mining Engineering graduated 19 students, 24 from Natural Resource Management, 270 from Nursing for Criminal Justice, 29 and 10 from Primary Education. From Secondary Education, 60 graduated, 13 from Accounting and three from Economics.
Also speaking at the ceremony, ArcelorMittal Manager for Governmental Affairs, Eric Swen, announced that the company will begin to pay their liabilities starting from 2019.
The keynote speaker for the commencement convocation, Deputy Foreign Affair B. Elias Shoniyin called on the graduates to make use of the free education at college and university that was announced by President George Weah.
Deputy Minister further Shoniyin urged the graduates to get out and help to build their nation using the knowledge they have acquired.
As the college seeks elevation to a four-year degree granting status, the need for quality faculty and staff development is of paramount importance.