The
University of The Gambia Faculty and Staff Association (UTGFSA) has said it
would start an indefinite sit down strike beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, “until
such a time that our demands are met”.
At
a press conference held yesterday at the UTG School of Business and Public Administration
in Kanifing, the association renewed its demands, which include the resignation
of the vice chancellor and the dissolution of the university’s senior
management team, “for mismanaging resources and misplaced priorities”.
“Earlier
this month, we learned with utter dismay, the vice chancellor and his senior
management’s purchase of 6 new vehicles which cost close to D8 million,” said
Dr Ismaila Ceesay, president of the UTGFSA, at yesterday’s press conference.
“The
management has proven that they have zero regards for all the persisting
problems, including the poor working and learning conditions for the staff and
students.
“This
is the only university in this world without a website; this is the only
university in this world without internet access for both students and staff;
this is the only university with no standard library, and it is the only
university where students and staff queue to use the same toilet,” he
lamented.
“This
is the only university in this world where staff have low work morale because
there are no staff incentives, and it is the only university where research is
not encouraged.”
Dr
Ceesay said as a result of the challenges, UTGFSA would embark on a sit down
strike effective 1 March 2017 “in the interest of the university and the
country”.
“The
strike will, consequently, affect the students in the short term, but will have
a long term benefit because if these people continue to manage the university,
there would be no development and that is not in the long term interest of both
the staff and students,” he added.
Last
week, the vice chancellor, Prof. Faqir Anjum, and his senior management team
responded to the memo of UTGFSA by threatening to drag the association’s
president, Dr Ceesay, to court for allegedly defaming him and his senior
management.
The
Office of Vice Chancellor said in a statement that Dr Ceesay “must show cause
why disciplinary action should not be taken against him by the University of
The Gambia, his employer”.
“The
Vice Chancellor and the UTG reserves the right to sue Ismaila Ceesay for
character assassination and defamation,” the statement added.
