Professor Alhaji G.V. Kromah of the University of Liberia has called on the Board of Trustees to speed up the selection process for a new President and two vice presidents for the University. He said for the purpose valuable continuity, at least two of the UL officials should be selected from the current faculty of the University.

	• Alhahi G. V. Kromah

A vacancy for the President of the university was created with the recent appointment of its President, Dr. Alhasan Conteh, as Liberia’s ambassador to Nigeria. The Vice President for Administration and academic affairs are yet to be appointed.

In a press release issued in Monrovia, Prof. Kromah said the challenges of the institution are complex and do not need an indefinite period of transition to a new leadership. He said as the rainy season progresses, student and faculty transport to the Fendell campus outside of Monrovia needs to be sustained.

The former UL Board of Trustee member said the new administ5rastion has to also deal with unsolved problems of textbooks, student tuition, as well as faculty salary in the face of the growing cost of living.

The computerization of the UL record system project has to be completed soon and the A.M Dogliotti College of Medicine has to be given special attention in relation to the country’s mounting health problems.

Kromah congratulated Dr. Conteh for several important achievements, including the introduction of thee tri-semester system that has reduced the graduating time of the students while upgrading the quality of education.

Meanwhile, Prof. Kromah has called on the National Legislature to make significant increase in the government’s financial support to the University of Liberia in the next fiscal period.

He said the recurrent budget of the institution should be prioritized as International aid goes toward infrastructure and capital development of the   University.

Liberia Has Right To Intervene In Zimbabwe - Prof. Alhaji Kromah

 A Professor of International Law at the University of Liberia has said it is not proper for the leadership of South Africa to reject the intervention of Liberia and the rest of West Africa in the current political crisis of Zimbabwe.

Prof.  Alhaji G.V. Kromah said it is not only a right but also a duty for West African States to fully participate in the resolution of conflict anywhere on the continent as members of the African Union.

Reports from the African Union Heads of State Summit in Egypt indicated that the South African leader, Thabo Mbeki, resisted efforts by the Presidents of Liberia, Ghana and other West African States for strong action to resolve the political problem in Zimbabwe. The reports cited the South African leader as saying that the conflict was not a West African affair.

In a release relative to the situation vis-à-vis Liberia’s position as enunciated by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Prof, Kromah, who is an Adjunct Professor of International Law at the University of Liberia Graduate School of International Relations, said the South African position is not consistent with the role that government played during the 2003 conference held on the Liberia conflict in Accra, Ghana.

He said it should not be forgotten that Liberia and other West African countries were prominent in the international struggle to get rid of apartheid in South Africa and made important contributions to the liberation of Zimbabwe and other African countries under colonial rule.

He noted also during the Congo crisis in the 1960’s, Liberia and other West African Countries were part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force that was deployed to bring the conflict under control.

He said with West  Africa’s experience in  conflict and its responsibility to promote peace in member states of the AU, it  would  be  sad if  the  sub-region ignored problems on thee rest of the  continent and  concentrated only on west African issues.

Tipoteh Lauds Gov’t For Stand On Zimbabwe

Liberia’s renowned politician, Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh, one of the presidential candidates in the 2005 general and presidential, has praised the Liberian Government for its position taken at the recent African Union Summit held in Egypt.

	• Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh

Dr. Tipoteh referred to the position of the government when it called for fresh elections in Zimbabwe because the recent run-off elections held were not free, fair, and therefore not credible. 

He made the assertion in a press release under the signature of Mr. Robert Cummings, Media Relations Personnel for Dr. Tipoteh.

In its positions during the African Union Summit in Egypt, Liberia insisted that the world must not recognize the results of the run-off elections in Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe must not be allowed to participate in any African Summit, as he has no legitimacy to continue to be President of Zimbabwe.

The release quoted Dr. Tipoteh, as saying that the emphasis in Liberia’s position on the holding of free and fair elections as crucial for preventing violent civil crisis was commendable because “the Liberian experience exhibits how intimidating and unfair elections led to civil war in Liberia.”

This commendable position on Zimbabwe by Liberia was presented at the African Union Summit by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, according to a press release issued yesterday by Mr. Robert Cummings, Media relations Personnel of  Dr.Tipoteh in Monrovia.

Dr. Tipoteh made the statement when members of the press asked him about his impressions on the Summit. Dr. Tipoteh concluded his statement by saying that Liberia’s position places much pressure on the government of  Liberia to spare no efforts to make sure that elections at all levels in Liberia are free and fair.

Dr. Tipoteh said in order to exercise moral authority one must be seen to be demonstrating morality.