The Board of Trustees of the Lofa County University has given an ultimatum to all striking faculty members and other teaching staff to immediately return to the class room not later Monday, July 29 or consider themselves dismissed.
The Board in a communication to the leadership of the aggrieved members of the faculty Association of the university reminded the strikers of the CSA Standing Order, that 14 days absence without excuse from work is equivalent to resignation.
The Board’s decision was reached last Wednesday during its regular Board sitting in Zorzor, Lofa County.
In its communication, the Board requested all faculty members interested in continuing their services to the university to return to the classrooms while their grievances are being looked into.
Meanwhile, the Board is requesting those returning to work to go along with their educational credentials as plans are underway to begin the recruitment of qualified staffers to replace those faculty staff who will not heed to this ultimatum.
Since two weeks, some faculty members of the university began a go-slow in demand of salary increment and other concerns.
There has been several failed attempts by the Board through its Chairperson who visited the campus recently.
The aggrieved faculty member are demanding what they called “A substantial portion of their concerns be addressed before they can returned to class.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustee, Lutheran Bishop, Victor Padmore, has constituted a search committee comprising prominent residents of the county to vet a new president for the university to replace Dr. Samuel Kpehe Ngaima who is currently in the United States seeking medical attention.
The Board chairperson’s decision is based on a communication from the office of the visitor to the University, President Joseph Boakai giving that august body two weeks to submit a shortlist of candidates, one of whom will appointed to take of the mantle of power for the University
