Mallam O. Assures Families of Deceased Colleagues

By:  Alhaji Umaru Gbow

Njala University, 18th June 2021- Professor Osman Alimamy Sankoh, (Mallam O.) Commander of the Order of the Rokel (COR) has on Thursday 17th June 2021 assured families of deceased members of staff of Njala University that his Administration will do everything possible for them to possess what rightly belongs to them.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal thanked and appreciated them for attending the meeting at a very short notice and saluted the service rendered by each of their departed family members who according to him served Njala University diligently in various capacities.

Mallam O. also extended his appreciation to the Executive of the Njala University Retirees Association (NURA) who were in full attendance at the meeting and craved on the indulgence of its President Dr. Kandeh to use the meeting platform to address the deceased families on what the Administration and NURA have been doing jointly behind the scenes to solve the retiree liability situation at Njala University.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal expressed regrets and openly apologized that the Administration has not been able to meet their statutory obligations in terms of paying the End of Service Benefits of their deceased colleagues which according to him created misery for his colleagues who had wholeheartedly served the University.

He hinted that the retiree liability situation at Njala University has been very close to his heart since his appointment as caretaker Vice-Chancellor and Principal in April 2020 and further disclose the several strides his administration has taken such as paying the 2013,2014 and 2015 sets of retirees and also providing 25% pay across the board for all retirees from 2016 to 2020.

‘’I have resorted to engaging the private sector with a view to permanently solve the retiree situation and the feedback from them to support this initiative has been very positive and it is my hope that my successor would fully support this initiative’’ Mallam O. recounted.

President, Njala University Retirees Association (NURA), Dr. Kandeh started by calling on the family members of the deceased colleagues to clap for the Mallam O. Administration and hinted that the Administration of Njala University had taken a human face and posture in the last one year by adhering to their demands.

Dr. Kandeh disclosed that Njala University under Mallam O. has effectively positioned itself for sustainable progress.

He used thee occasion to explain the purpose for the formation of NURA and what this Association has been doing behind the scenes to seek the plight of their retired and deceased colleagues and encouraged them to join the Union.

Dr. Kandeh praised Mallam O. for maintaining an open communication strategy with NURA to discuss strategies to solve the retiree situation and that this for him was highly appreciated by his membership and the Executive of NURA.

The University Registrar, Dr. Muneer Jalloh earlier on assured the retirees that Administration has been working tirelessly to solve the retiree situation noting that they themselves as current staff members would one day be retirees and would be paid swiftly.

He endorsed the assurances of the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal and assured them that his successor would fully implement all that is on the table in terms of solving the retiree situation.

The Human Resource Manager, Mr. Paul Nguajah earlier presented a list of the family members present and asked them to introduce themselves to the Acting Vice-Chancellor and other senior members of the Administration present.

Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Njala Campus, Professor Alieu Mohamed Bah showered praises on the Mallam O. Administration for creating what he referred to as sustainable structures within the University system and assured the families of the deceased that that as academics they would fully follow up with the incoming to ensure that all the brilliant and sustainable plans and structures established by the outgoing Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal are fully implemented by his successor.

Responding, the families of the deceased were happy that the University Administration had called upon them to discuss matters affecting the retirees and families of the deceased and further reported that they were happy that the Mallam O. administration has attached so much importance to their issue.

The climax of the meeting was the provision of Lunch and other administrative arrangements to the families of the deceased.

For more enquiries, contact the Public Relations Office, Njala University on +23276336213/+23276245292/Email:[email protected] /[email protected]