Prof. Samai is Pro Vice-Chancellor
By Stephen V. Lansana
The Court of the University of Sierra Leone (USL), the highest administrative decision-making body has approved and ratified Professor Mohamed Samai, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) as Pro Vice-Chancellor.
It could be recalled that the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio appointed the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone, Brigadier General (Professor) Foday Sahr as the Executive Director of the recently established National Public Health Agency thereby leaving the position vacant. But by the provisions of the Universities Act, 2021, the University shall have a Pro-Vice Chancellor who shall be appointed by the court from among Deputy Vice Chancellors of Fourah Bay College, Institute of Public Administration and Management and College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences.
Therefore, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, Professor Samai was appointed by the Court which implicitly means that there is no vacancy.
However, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Ramatulai Wurie went ahead and appointed Professor Lawrence Kamara on December 11, 2023 as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of USL and imposed him on the University contrary to sections 8(2), (5) and 9(1) of the Universities Act, 2021.
The act of the Minister was rejected and Professor Lawrence Karama was not recognized by the University as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of USL.
The University said in a statement on Thursday January 25th, 2024 that it has “upheld and maintained its decision” made on the 16th January 2024 – the approval and ratification of a Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone in compliance with the provisions contained in Sections 8 and 9 of the Universities Act, 2021.
“The University Court also officially approved and ratified the existing procedure of rotating the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone in the following order – Fourah Bay College, the College of Medicine and Allied Sciences and the Institute of Public Administration and Management,” the Directorate of Public Relations, Alumni & International Affairs of USL disclosed.
“Furthermore, the Court made its position clear that it did not recognize Prof. Joseph Aruna Lawrence Kamara as the “Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal” of USL.”
The University emphasized that the Court had approved and ratified Professor Mohamed Samai, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) as Pro Vice-Chancellor.
According to the University, the Court decided to approve and ratify Professor Mohamed Samai as Pro Vice-Chancellor because he is a sitting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (COMAHS) in line with Section 9 (1) of the Universities Act, 2021 and had been performing the duties of the Pro Vice Chancellor since November 2022.
“This means Prof Samai as the Pro Vice-Chancellor is the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of USL in line with Section 8 (5) of the Universities Act, 2021,” the University added.
“In an “Extra-Ordinary meeting” held on the 16th of January 2024, the Court approved and ratified Professor Mohamed Samai as Pro Vice-Chancellor. In addition, in an “Emergency Extra-Ordinary meeting” held on Wednesday, 24th January 2024, the Court upheld its earlier decision reached on the 16th January 2024,” the University added, pointing out that both meetings of the Court of the University of Sierra Leone took place in the Committee Room of the “University House” at Fourah Bay College Campus, Mount Aureol, Freetown.