Monrovia – The University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU) has called for an immediate halt to the controversial digital registration contract awarded to Mwentana.
Report by Al Varney Rogers, [email protected]
“With the foregoing, ULSU, as a responsible student government, attention is drawn to several issues surrounding the awarding of the digital-automation and academic enhancement system contract to Mwentana,” Maiwo said.
The ULSU president called on President George Manneh Weah and members of the Board of Trustee to halt the implementation of the contract.
“Because we are certain if caution is not taken again, this situation has the potential of bringing another indifference,” UL President said.
The University of Liberia student government cited violation of the PPCC Act, history of the company awarded the contract as reasons for an investigation to be conducted
“ULSU is requesting that the Board of Trustees and the government of Liberia set up an independent investigative committee to launch a full flesh investigation into this matter in the soonest possible time,” Maiwo averred.
Maiwo said the University has ignored and violated the PPCC law adding: “The University should be an example of adhering to the law.”
The UL student leader added that the purpose of PPCC is to promotes integrity, fairness, accountability and public confidence in procurement processes in government further adding that the University is of no exclusion.
The UL Student Union president further stated that during the launching of the program student were denied the opportunity to question digital-automated system.
Maiwo alleged that the head of the Mwentana is an extended relative of the University of Liberia’s President.
Maiwo furthered that Mwentana was responsible for a previous software system provided for the National Elections Commission (NEC) during the elections.
He alleged that the system provided NEC crashed on election day an occurrence he doesn’t want it to happen at the U.L.
“We are aware that this same company was the company that provided a soft-ware system for the National Elections Commission (NEC) during the just-ended Presidential and General Elections and that system crashed on election day, a situation we vehemently don’t want to happen at UL,” the ULSU president said.
Maiwo further added that UL authority, through its Registration Enhancement Committee, refused to submit names of the top bidders as requested by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
“In spite of a request by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) for the submission of the two top runners in the bidding process for further vetting for onward recommendation to the UL authority for the awarding of the contract, UL authority through its Registration Enhancement Committee refused,” He added.
Maiwo said a pilot phase of the digital system should be implemented for a semester before a full contract is awarded.
The ULSU president said there are companies with better soft-ware systems which have suggested that a cent should not be given them until UL administration can test and use the system for a year.
Maiwo disclosed that the Union will resist those who want to use the current situation for personal gains.
“Again, ULSU as a responsible student leadership in this new era sees constructive engagement of this kind and seeking of remedy through dialogue as the solitary source to finding lasting remedy to problems of this nature at UL,” Maiwo stressed.