By: Mohamed M. Sesay
Over the weekend, Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University and his team, paid a courtesy visit to Bonthe Sherbro Island where they met with the administrative and academic staff of Bonthe Technical Training College (BONTECH), the Mayor, and other district stakeholders to officially declare Njala University’s takeover of the College.
This official declaration is in fulfilment of the VC&P’s vow to travel to Bonthe during his first three months in office to actualize the takeover of Njala University by putting the 2021 Universities Act into practice and implementing the University restructuring plan’s recommendations.
Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma was accompanied by Miss. Pauline Floode, Njala University BONTEC task force Coordinator, Mr. Santigie Sesay, Director of Physical Plant Services, Mr. Alpha Jalloh, Senior Deputy Registrar, and Ayuba Koroma, Public Relations Unit.
The new Vice-Chancellor and Principal informed the stakeholders that his visit is a precursor for the March visit of the University Chancellor and representatives of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education for the official commissioning of the Campus.
Professor Koroma continued by expressing his gratitude to the inhabitants for their warm welcome and also advised parents to encourage their children to take advantage of the opportunity. He extended profound thanks and appreciation to the community and the Anglican Church for agreeing to provide land for the Campus establishment.
He revealed the University’s proposed plan to establish two schools and two institutes, including the school of maritime studies, the school of sustainable tourism and hospitality management, the institute of technical entrepreneurship and vocational studies, and the institute of education. Professor Koroma placed special emphasis on the school of maritime studies as the campus’s primary focus.
His Lordship the Mayor of Bonthe Municipality, Layemin Joe Sandi welcomed the Vice-Chancellor and Principal and noted that the visit was significant because it was the first visit by a Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University.
He praised Professor Koroma for his unwavering efforts to make the dream a reality and added that the new VC&P had been involved in the process even before he was named Vice-Chancellor and Principal which in his opinion makes the process easier now that he is on the seat.
The Deputy Speaker of the Sierra Leone Parliament, one of the solid pillars hoping for the dream to come true, was absent, Mayor Layemin Joe Sandi continued, and he gave a valuable explanation for his absence.
After revealing the land that the community and Anglican Church had provided for the establishment of the campus, Mayor Sandi asked the University Administration to survey the land as soon as possible and urged all Bonthe district descendants to support the new campus.
The residents of Bonthe expressed their anticipation for the new development and wished for a quick takeover by Njala University.
