University of Liberia Students Stranded for Buses; Disrupt School Activities, Again

Paynesville – Normal activities at the state-run University of Liberia-Fendell campus were disrupted on Wednesday, June 13 over students’ demonstration in demand of buses to take them to school.

Report by Augustine T. Tweh, [email protected] and Gerald C. [email protected]

With chants of ‘battle cry and revolutionary songs,’ the students set up roadblocks near the bus station at an intersection in Paynesville early Wednesday morning causing traffic jam that left commuters stranded for hours.

According to the students, since the Government of Liberia began its routine vehicle inspection, all of the buses that commuted them and the staff to school have not been available because they are not legally registered.

Speaking to FrontPage Africa, the students said they will continue their strike until the buses are available.

“For the past two semesters, they have not registered those buses. Why is it from that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s regime up to George Manneh Weah’s regime they have not registered those buses. But they are telling us that the process will be delayed. We are not going for that. They cannot use us as Guinea pigs at the state-run university,” said Jacob Zuma, Spokesman of the angry students.

Zuma continued, “If the buses are not registered or insured, let them do all to provide means of transportation for us. other than that we will not rest until our demands are met. And I am calling on all of the comrades from the various colleges to be in this struggle together.

But when contacted, the Vice President for UL Relations, Atty. Norris Tweah downplayed the situation, describing it as a “little thing”.

“It is interesting for a journalist to call you for a little thing like this. We do not receive a call from any journalist on all of the ongoing improvements in the registration process on campus until a little thing like his happened then we begin to receive calls,” he said.

But the President of the University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU), Flomo Mau has called on all students to remain calm as negotiation is ongoing with the UL Administration to ensure that the situation is addressed swiftly.

“I had a discussion with the Vice President for administration and she assured me that negotiation is ongoing between the Ministry of Transport to issue clearance to the bus operators to be allowed to commute in main time until the process can be completed,” Mau assured.

Meanwhile, the ULSU President has assured students of the University of Liberia who are awaiting financial aid that the process is expected to begin soon.

Mau said all is being worked out between ULSU and the administration to start the process for students’ registration to complete.