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Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 17:16:11
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Alarming Irregularities at Gambia University as Prof Kah Flouts Rules
by Binta A Bah
Friday, April 20, 2012
The vice chancellor of the University of The Gambia, Professor Muhammadou M O Kah may be a good professor but not a good administrator. Since his appointment as vice chancellor, he has gross disregard for the university governing council, appoints mainly his relatives and friends, defy public procument rules among others, thus making both staff and students disgusted and disgruntled with his arbitrary administrative approach.
These are the findings of the investigative panel comprising officials of National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) that probed into allegations of Mr Gumbo Touray, former director of University Affairs.
Currently standing trial for giving false information to a public officer, Gumbo Touray’s law suit came in the wake of a petition he addressed to the Office of the President clamming administrative malpractices by Professor Kah.
The report findings were read out at theBanjul Magistrates’ Court before Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe on Tuesday April 17, during the cross examination of the dean of UTG by defense lawyer Badou Conteh. The report was earlier admitted by the court in evidence following the testimony of an NDEA officer as a prosecution witness.
“Since the appointment of Professor Muhammadou M O Kah as vice chancellor of the University of The Gambia, all committees (appointment and promotional committees, research and strategy committee, exams and evaluator committee etc) that were established by his predecessors for the smooth, transparent and efficient running of the university were abolished,” the report says.
Attrition rate at the university among academic and administrative staff under the stewardship of Professor Kah is unprecedented as he is always taking decisions unilaterally without due consultation with the governing council most of which are even ultra-varies.
And under the chancellorship of Professor Kah, the trend that the university is taking apparently suggests that the university is moving away from the traditional British system to the American system which is alien to Gambian education system and basically his style of administration has relegated the progress of the university and the atmospheres at the university now is that everyone is aggrieved.
In addition, the report of The Gambia Public Procumbent report on UTG states that the institution is not working in compliance with GPPA rules, thus seriously flouting the said rules and doing things the way the vice chancellor and his administration likes.
The NDEA report went on to reveal that most of the appointments into the senior cadre of the university (academic and admin) were single handedly done by professor Kah, without going by the prescribed standards.
Undoubtedly, most of the beneficiaries of such appointments are either his friends or relatives. And that investigation reveals he may be sousing facilities of the university for his personal project as he has constructed a college situated at Bijilo which is almost ready for use; the building is decorated with the same color paint used on the fence of the Kanifing campus.
According to the report, there is also a lot of cost incurred by the university in the form of per diem claims and numerous and frequent travels of the VC as his single travel will cost the UTG up to the tune of 300,000 to 400,000 dalasi.
The acting chief accountant says one of the trips cost up to 6oo, ooo. The VC is always traveling on first class and the air tickets which are mostly bought from Abbery’s Travel despite the high cost implication knowing that the UTG is at its nursing stage.
This is addition to his 3.5 million dalasi annual salary, 10 thousand US Dollars annually for his house rent even though the lives in his own house and about 40,000 dalasis every three months for his children’s school fees, utilities, his maid and security salaries which is outrageous for a developing university to sustain.
Therefore as a Gambian VC, he lacks sacrifice and patriotism. It is however, not clear where the huge salaries are approved from or who authorized them.
The report further asserts that it is obvious that the administrative approach of Professor Kah particularly in the area of academics is compromising quality for quantity of courses thought at the university.
This has brought about more de-motivation among the staff coupled with discontinuation of almost all their little benefits that they would enjoy. There welfare makes them worried and they are crying foul.
On Alhagie Gumbo Touray’s allegations, the report reveals that during the visit of the National Assembly select committee on education to the university, Gumbo Touray frankly expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the university is been governed which certainly did not go down well with the VC and consequently decided to suspend him, as in his words, ‘based on powers conferred on him’.
However, is not able to produce any investigative report on the issue of Gumbo Touray though he has claimed to have constituted an investigation into the matter. What is however, confirmed is that the VC went ahead to terminate the service of Mr Touray unilaterally without consultation.
The report concluded that the UTG is without a laboratory for all the science courses offered by the university, as the present laboratories in use are meant to train teachers and are not the same as university labs.
At the moment, the university offers no practical course in all the sciences and considering the government’s emphasis on the need to advance the sciences, this is unacceptable.
Against these backdrops, the report concludes that Professor Muhammad MO .Kah may be a good lecturer but not a good administrator who can move the university to the envisaged level.
source: Daily News
Also from the Daily observer: NDEA report indicts UTG VC
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 17:27:48
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He best be careful of the NEW Iron Broom 
quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
Alarming Irregularities at Gambia University as Prof Kah Flouts Rules
by Binta A Bah
Friday, April 20, 2012
The vice chancellor of the University of The Gambia, Professor Muhammadou M O Kah may be a good professor but not a good administrator. Since his appointment as vice chancellor, he has gross disregard for the university governing council, appoints mainly his relatives and friends, defy public procument rules among others, thus making both staff and students disgusted and disgruntled with his arbitrary administrative approach.........................
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2012 : 17:10:40
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RELATED BANTABA GAMBIAN POLITICS TOPIC;
FREEDOM NEWS;
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Edited by - kobo on 21 Apr 2012 18:39:23 |
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Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 12:27:48
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Gumbo Touray acquitted, discharged
By Author: Fatou Sowe
Daily Observer: Published on Friday, October 05, 2012
Principal Magistrate Taiwo Alagbe of the Banjul Magistrates Court Thursday discharged and acquitted Gumbo Ali Touray, former director of International Affairs at the University of The Gambia (UTG), of the false information charge filed in by the State against him. The presiding magistrate also recommended the setting up of a panel of enquiry to investigate the academic credentials of the vice chancellor of the UTG, Professor Mohammadou O Kah.
Gumbo Touray was alleged to have written a petition to the chancellor of UTG and president of the Republic, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, claiming that the current vice chancellor of the University, Professor Mohammadou O Kah, was bent on employing his relatives at the UTG.The accused denied the said charge.
During the trial the prosecution called nine witnesses and tendered a host of exhibits while the accused testified alongside another witness and also tendered several exhibits. After the presentation of evidence both parties [Police Prosecutor Sainey Joof and defence counsel for the accused, Lawyer Badou SM Conteh], filed their respective addresses in the court to persuade the court to give judgment in their favour.
The presiding magistrate, while reading his one-and-a-half-hour judgment, made extensive reference to the history of the case brought before him by the prosecution, the witnesses called by both sides of the case, exhibits tendered and evidences adduced by the various witnesses.
The magistrate reviewed evidences of each of the prosecution witnesses starting with one Amdou Bah, an official of the GPPA, who testified among other things that, the GPPA made an inspection visit to the UTG and met the management of the UTG with regards to rules and regulations relating to the GPPA Act as it relates to the UTG procurement activities and later made a report, which was tendered in court as an exhibit.
He said Dr Momodou Jain, PW2, said that some of the structures adopted at the UTG were scrapped by the current VC, Professor Kah and such structures included allowances received by staff of the UTG especially allowances for foreign travels. According to the magistrate, the witness made reference to his trip to Norway, in which the VC refused to pay his allowances. He also made reference to the non-existence of a senate council for the UTG and brain drains at the UTG among others.
For PW3 Bai Matarr Drammeh, the principal magistrate said that he testified and informed the court among other things, about his membership of the UTG board and his position as president of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). He recalled that Bai Matarr Drammeh also informed the court about a telephone interview he conducted for one Mr Kojo, a Ghana national based in the USA for the position of a financial director of the UTG and the approval and appointment of the said Kojo for the said position. He added that Bai Matarr revealed to the court that, such was the first telephone interview he conducted as a board member of the UTG and he did not touch on the character aspect of the said Mr Kojo.
Principal Magistrate Alagbe said PW4 Lamin J. Gassama, an official of NDEA testified and adduced evidence about the findings made from an investigation conducted by his office and the report made to that effect. The presiding magistrate noted that the said NDEA officer testified against the VC based on findings made on their investigative report, which was tendered in court, citing rules relating to procurement activities at the UTG not in compliance with the GPPA act among others.
The magistrate said PW5 Dr Jah also testified and informed the court about his academic qualifications and his position at the UTG. He added that PW6, Dr Abubacarr Senghore, dean of the Faculty of Law at the UTG, also testified and informed the court that Gumbo Touray lodged a complaint about the way things are handled at the UTG and he (the accused) was asked by the National Assembly Members Education Select Committee to reduce his complaint into writing and submit it with relevant documents. He said he [Senghore], spoke about series of transformations made at the UTG especially at the Faculty of Law and other departments over the years since the establishment of the UTG.
Magistrate Alagbe further stated that PW7 Jenung Manneh also said he is the registrar and Board secretary of the UTG whose functions are among other things to keep records and academic credentials of UTG staff and confessed in the court that he had never seen the academic certificates of the current VC, Professor Mohamed Kah.
He stated further that PW8 Mariama Joum also testified and informed the court that she made procurement for gowns meant for the UTG convocation. “PW9 was the VC, Mohammadou O Kah, who testified and led evidence on his academic credentials covering different schools and universities he claimed to have attended, especially in the USA among others,” Principal Magistrate Alagbe said, and went on to make reference to what he described as a ‘disparaging article’ authored by the editor of Today newspaper, Abdul Hamid Adiamoh, commenting on the academic credentials of the VC and going to the extent of questioning the court and the defence on the matter and even captioned his article as ‘news analysis’.
Evidences from defence side
The principal magistrate, after reviewing the prosecution evidence, turned to the defence, starting with the accused person - Gumbo Touray’s evidence.He recalled that the accused opened his defence and informed the court about his academic qualifications and alleged termination of his contract of service with the UTG.
According to him, the accused person further alleged among other things the appointment of a Ghana national as financial director of the UTG outside of the rules and regulations governing the appointment of UTG staff. He said Touray also alleged that the said appointment was done through telephone interview and his qualification was put into question. He also recalled the words of Dr Momodou Tangara ‘that the VC may be a good lecturer, but not a good administrator’.
The presiding magistrate also recalled that DW2 Dr Sidibeh also testified that the current VC had scrapped all structures at the UTG, while citing the improper appointment of a Ghanaian national. The magistrate added that Dr Sidibeh also alleged that his service was unilaterally terminated by Professor Kah.
Decision of the court
The magistrate later cited the UTG Act of 1999, and then said the issue is whether or not the VC complied with the GPPA Act. He added that by going through the audit report of Augustus Prom, a chartered accountant, the VC totally deviated from the laid down rules and regulations and the way UTG contracts are awarded is not transparent. He cited evidence adduced by Ms Mariam Joum, internal auditor of the UTG, who said she acted as procurement officer for procuring gowns for the 6th UTG convocation, which clearly ultra-vies her.
Another issue in point, according to the presiding magistrate, was on the suspension and termination of the accused Gumbo Ali Touray by the VC in flagrant violation of conditions of service, pointing out that this function played by the VC was conferred on the Governing Council of the UTG.
Magistrate Alagbe noted that the termination was done as instigated as a matter of vendetta mission to settle scores against the accused person or for expressing his views to the National Assembly Education Select Committee during their visit to the UTG.
Recruitment
Principal Magistrate Alagbe also recalled that Professor Kah had said that the people who were said to be his relatives were employed by the UTG well before his assumption of the VC position at the UTG. He added that the court holds the belief that recruitment of relatives of the VC could not be shared coincidence as recruitment was lopsided and not truly reflecting the national character. He added that the appointment of the financial director, which came as a result of a telephone interview, was highly ridiculous, considering the sensitivity of that position.
He further stated that the said appointment was orchestrated by the VC to concretise his relationship with Mr Kojo and their friendship and therefore, the telephone interview was a mere formality. Further commenting on the court’s decision, Magistrate Alagbe said it is annoying to see that the same Mr Kojo only possessed a MSc in Business Administration without any professional qualification in accounting, whereas there are Gambians who hold ACCA, ACM among others, without being accorded the opportunity.
VC’S disputed qualifications
According to Principal Magistrate Alagbe, during proceedings of the case, the VC put his academic qualification in question, and as a result, the defence counsel Badou Conteh challenged him through cross-examination. He noted that the VC told the court that he has a BSc and MSc from the Steven Institute in the USA at a go in the same year, and put the court in doubt, because the VC never tendered his academic credentials during his interview as the VC and while in court too, despite rumours surrounding his qualification. At that juncture, Magistrate Alagbe ordered that a panel of inquiry be instituted to look into the academic qualifications of the Professor Kah.
He continued: “This court hereby orders for a panel to be instituted to inquire unruffled the authenticity of the VC’s certificates. In the wake of the said determination, the question that arises is whether or not the information given by the accused amounts to giving of false information. This court did not think so, because from the totality of evidence before this court shows that the said information is infinite testima, comparing to the gang gum of atrocity of the VC.”
The presiding magistrate said that the court couldn’t but comment on the conduct of the accused that unmasked the mascurate and chose to sacrifice his comfort for national interest in order to complement the efforts of HE the president of the Republic, founder and chancellor of UTG. He said the accused person might have remained silent to safeguard his employment, but he chose not to do so. He added that posterity shall surely write his name in the annals of history.
He accordingly discharged and acquitted Gumbo Ali Touray of the charge pressed against him on the ground that the prosecution failed woefully to prove its case beyond all reasonable doubts.
Source: Daily Observer
Related Topic: Gumbo Ali Touray freed at last |
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