By Jallah D. Massah
The President of the Lofa County Community College (LCCC), Dr. Samuel Ngaima, dismisses allegation of financial malpractices and high tuition fees at the institution but rather confirms financial difficulties, especially at the institution since the pronouncement of the free tuition by the government at public universities and colleges limited the institution from proceeding in setting direction.
Dr. Ngaima’s comments was in reaction to allegation made by the college’s former Public Relation Officer, Mr. Kolubah Akoi who allegedly posted on social media that Dr. Ngaima’s involvement with financial malpractices was responsible for the delay in the payment of staff’s salaries at the institution.
Mr. Akoi was said to have written in his post that barely two months ago, Ecobank-Liberia mistakenly credited the college account with over three million Liberian dollars and the money was withdrawn by the authorization of Dr. Ngaima as he posted on his Facebook timeline. Mr. Akoi further alleged that the president instructed the financial controller to withdraw the money that was mistakenly deposited in the account of the college by the Eco-bank management for the construction of the new science building on campus. He also attributed the suspension of the financial controller who had traveled to Turkey to obtain his Ph.D. as a calculated attempt to blindfold the public.
But the LCCC President reacted, clarifying that assertions made by Akoi was far from the truth despite the financial constraints faced by the institutions. According to Dr. Ngaima, the suspension of Mr. James K. Sowah has been lifted based on consideration by the executive members of the college to award him the LCCC’s scholarship. He stated that upon the graduation of Mr. Sowah, he will work for the college for the period of five years and after he will make his determination to stay or move to another institution.
The President of the Lofa County Community College and his two Vice Presidents have clarified that there has been no financial malpractices at the institution, and that the controller’s suspension was not associated with any financial matter as being speculated by critics.
He however said it is good that the current generation is realizing that the financial constraints faced by the institution is not the making of the administration, noting that the institution’s authorities remain committed to both infrastructure and human resource development at all levels of the college.
He also clarified allegation that tuition has been embedded into fees at the college, which he pointed out is a falsehood only intended to undermine the progress of his administration, adding that he is willing to work with everyone who is in full compliance of the college policy without prejudice or sentiment.
Dr. Ngaima said since his inception as president of the college, allegations of self-interest and tribal politics have increased. He mentioned that fees determinations are done in accordance with the requirement of each department.
The LCCC President asserted that fees were generally increased by $165LD across every department of the college and clarified that based on the needed materials of each student per their departments of enrollment. He referenced the department of health sciences’ requirements; taking into consideration the purchasing of nursing uniforms, thermometers, affiliation fees, nursing assessment fees, clinical fees, and all of those fees are not paid by other departments except the department of nursing, Dr. Ngaima averred.
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