By Mohamed Kargbo

The Chief Whip of the opposition in Sierra Leone’s 6th Parliament, Honourable Abdul Karim Kamara (AKK), has expressed strong disapproval of the government’s decision to prioritize the interests of New Brookfields Hotel over Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU) in a land dispute.

He intimates journalists that the land dispute has to do with issues of litigation, law, and the plight of the President. He emphasizes that he is the one person who always said that under the administration of President Bio, there are certain individuals who always make bad decisions, and at the end of the day, the President takes the blame.what he termed a “bad leadership decision” in favor of the hotel, at the expense of the university.

Hon. AKK revealed that the land dispute between MMTU and New Brookfields Hotel dates back to the introduction of middle man power and capacity building following the civil war in Sierra Leone. He discloses that the Parliament gave the land and property that belonged to the then Hotel and Tourism Trade Center at Congo Cross to be the property of MMTU under the Polytechnic Act.

Additionally, in 2022 and 2023 when they passed the University Act, Milton Margai was upgraded to a University. He reveals that the University Act gave Milton Margai Technical University the same portion of the property. He adds that since 2001, the Ministry of Tourism has had no hands in that property.

However, for the Ministry of Tourism to claim the property or negotiate on behalf of MMTU, whoever made that decision is a non-starter. He highlights the issue between MMTU and New Brookfields Hotel. He urges the President to look at the authentic agreement between New Brookfields Hotel and the Ministry of Tourism or whoever made that agreement as it does not mention a Brookfields Campus. He adds that there are two separate entities divided by a thick wall that have nothing to do with each other.

Interestingly, the Minister of Higher Education, who is meant to protect and supervise tertiary education, is seeking the interest of a private institution over that of the university. Honourable AKK questioning the Minister of Higher Education if this how she wants to empower young people in the country, or what her interest is. He stresses that the Minister of Higher Education should protect the University and not a private business. He would not say she is a family shareholder in it, but until those facts are made clear, Honourable AKK is disappointed in the Minister of Higher Education for backing a private business entity over a University.

Honourable AKK discloses to journalists that since the agreement with New Brookfields Hotel in 2015, they have been paying $60,000 dollars. He believes that if the same opportunity is given to MMTU, they can pay the same amount of $60,000 dollars a year. “It is a shame under the leadership of President Bio, where we talk about the empowerment of young people, education being a priority, and human capital development, we are having an issue where a University is being challenged for $60,000 dollars. The President can pay that without even blinking. It is a shame that we are almost closing a University for $60,000 dollars,” Honourable AKK states. According to him, in Sierra Leone, after agriculture and mining, the next field is tourism. Interestingly, the only university that is training specialists for tourism is suffering from this, and it is a shame for the Government.

According to his investigation, the hotel approached the university for the extension of their land, and there was going to be an agreement between the university and the hotel. He emphasizes that Milton Margai Technical University is an autonomous body that has its court and regulates its activities. It can own property and manage its property.

He adds that the Ministry of Higher Education does not own the university but oversees its activities, and there is a court for every university. He reveals that they had almost reached an agreement with New Brookfields Hotel to lease a portion of land from the University, but both the Ministers of Higher Education and Tourism interrupted the process. He reminds the hotel that the specialists they need are being trained by the university. He calls on President Bio to be careful of the kind of people he bestows authority on.

Honourable AKK further asks the representative of New Brookfields Hotel if they would close a University for $60,000 dollars in Britain. He concludes by saying they are waiting for the committee to sit on Thursday, 22nd August 2024.

He states that it is good for the public to know that for the first time in Sierra Leone, President Bio has appointed a Minister who wants to close a University for $60,000. The public can expect further developments on the matter as the committee prepares to discuss the issue on August 22, 2024.

*©️ The Trumpet Newspaper*