Monrovia – The University of Liberia Students Union (ULSU) has expressed concern over a financial crisis at the university, highlighting significant delays in the payment of part-time instructors’ salaries. These payments have been pending for over seven months, leaving instructors in financial distress and further aggravating the already fragile academic environment.
By Willie Tokpah, [email protected]
In a press conference held on Monday, March 24, at the UL Capitol Hill Campus, ULSU President Jacqueline Blio B. Tingba criticized the university’s financial mismanagement, which she says has negatively impacted both students and staff. She placed the blame on a deadlock between the University of Liberia and the Ministry of Finance, which has prevented timely salary payments for part-time faculty and caused financial instability across the institution.
Tingba expressed deep concern about the university’s lack of financial accountability, stating that unexplained salary cuts, discrepancies in the payroll system, and insufficient transparency in financial operations are further exacerbating the situation. According to Tingba, these issues are not only undermining the quality of education at the university but are also damaging the livelihoods of the staff who rely on their salaries to support themselves.
“We stand in solidarity with the part-time faculty, and we support the Joint Faculty Association’s rightful demand for payment,” Tingba said. “This situation is undermining the academic standards of the institution and hurting the very people who contribute to the learning environment.”
Beyond the salary delays, ULSU has also called attention to the university’s broader financial mismanagement, which has led to mounting frustrations. Students and faculty alike are feeling the strain of reduced resources, delays in academic schedules, and inadequate campus services, which ULSU argues are direct consequences of the institution’s financial woes.
Tingba’s statement reflects a growing sense of urgency within the student body. She emphasized that the ongoing financial issues are deeply impacting the education of students, asking, “How can we learn when the institution we trust to educate us is in financial turmoil?”
In response to the crisis, ULSU has outlined a series of demands for the university administration and the Ministry of Finance to address the financial mismanagement. These include the immediate payment of salary arrears for part-time instructors, a transparent financial framework to ensure timely salary disbursements, and a complete overhaul of the Finance Department, which ULSU insists must include the removal of the department head. Furthermore, ULSU has called for a full audit of the university’s financial operations to restore trust.
Tingba also raised concerns about the nearly 10 million Liberian dollars owed to ULSU by the Business and Finance Office, which is preventing the Student Union from carrying out its activities effectively.
“If the administration does not take swift action, we will have no choice but to mobilize students and faculty to protest these ongoing issues,” Tingba warned. “We cannot afford to sit idly while the university continues to suffer from poor financial management.”
Although ULSU has recognized President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s previous efforts to address the crisis, they are urging the government, particularly the Ministry of Finance, to intervene urgently and release the necessary funds to the university.
“Education is the foundation of Liberia’s future. Neglecting the well-being of students and faculty is a disservice to the country’s development,” the statement concluded.
The university administration, led by Dr. Layli Maparyan, has acknowledged the ongoing financial challenges but ULSU insists that immediate reform is needed to prevent further deterioration of the university’s operations and to restore stability to the academic environment.