The student protesters also demanded the reinstatement of Dr. Gibba and Prof. Matarr Njie, who were last month dismissed by the UTG on the allegations that they were engaged in activities that were against the rules governing the country’s highest learning institution.
Hundreds of student protesters gathered at the premises of the UTG Kanifing campus carrying different banners with distinct inscriptions: Enough is enough; Reinstatement of our dismissed lecturers; Lecturers life matters, and ‘No to intimidation’ among others."
Despite the presence of heavily armed riot police from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) of the Gambia Police Force (GPF), students remained defiant and vowed to continue protesting so long their concerns are not addressed.
They have also requested for the UTG Vice-Chancellor to come down from his office and speak with them, something which couldn't materialise at the time of going to press. Students that attempted to forcefully climb on top of the Peace Building at the UTG in order to gather and read their demands in presence of the VC, met stiff resistance from the PIU personnel. Some PIU personnel were seen using baton in beating students who attempted to climb up.
Speaking at the protest ground, Alasana Jeng, a student of the UTG, said: "In light of the problems confronting students of the University of The Gambia, concerned students of the University of the Gambia and affected students of the School Of Business and Public Administration have expressed their disappoint under your leadership as the Vice Chancellor of this great institution."
"However, the concern students have staged their protest in ensuring justice prevails while students’ education is uninterrupted especially at all point in time, especially at this time of the semester."
"We are protesting because of the following demands among which is the: Unfair dismissal of our most active and dedicated lecturers in the School of Business and Public Administration; the resolution put forward by the University Management, part of which is the replacement of the dismissed lecturers with other lecturers who are tasked to take over. This, when the semester is just at the end, we find to be unsatisfactory and a way of undermining our academic studies."
"We are also protesting because of redoing assessments on a course that we have already been assessed in the form of both tests and assignments; to show our dissatisfaction for interrupting our contact lecture hours. Currently, we do not have lectures in some of the courses since the dismissal of one of the lecturers on 15th of November.”
According to him, their aim is to ensure that standards and democracy are restored in the University of The Gambia and to ensure that there will be “no potential loss of our great lecturers in subsequent semesters."
"In view of the above, we want an immediate reinstatement of our lecturers who are dismissed unlawfully under your leadership. Also, we want an immediate solution to our concerns knowing fully that our student union leaders have failed to stand for the general students in a situation where they are needed the most."
"The student union is expected to stand for the best interest of the students; however, this is being defeated and we can no longer be patient to allow our future to be ruined."
