By: Laymah Kollie
MONROVIA, Liberia – Maryland County Senator J. Gbleh-Bo Brown has called on his colleagues in the Liberian Senate to take “concrete and decisive steps” to reopen the University of Liberia (UL), which has remained closed for several months.
Speaking at the opening of the Third Sitting, Third Session of the 55th National Legislature, Senator Brown described the closure of the country’s highest and largest institution of learning as a matter that should trouble every member of the Senate.
“Distinguished colleagues, it has been several months now since the University of Liberia, the nation’s highest and largest institution of learning, was closed,” Senator Brown told plenary.
He noted that many of the lawmakers seated in the chamber are themselves products of the university. “If we take the statistics and check the records, the majority number of senators seated in this plenary are products of the University of Liberia,” he said.
The Senator also reminded his colleagues of the Senate’s direct role in the university’s governance. According to him, the Liberian Senate holds the chairmanship of UL’s Board of Trustees, and the Senator who occupies that position does so on behalf of the entire body.
“The Senator who chairs the Board of Trustees of the University of Liberia is not there in his individual capacity but as a representative of the Liberian Senate,” he stressed.
Senator Brown urged the Senate to go beyond reopening the campus and work toward securing the institution’s long-term future. “I urge plenary to take concrete and decisive steps that will not only resuscitate the University but will set it on an irreversible path to enduring stability and sustainable growth and development,” he said.
To achieve this, he recommended that the Senate convene public hearings involving university administrators, academicians, relevant public officials and student leaders. The goal, he explained, is to establish the root causes of the “perennial problems” at the university and find a lasting solution.
Senator Brown’s briefing also touched on other national concerns. He called on the Senate to uphold the rulings of the Supreme Court, noting that the framers of the Constitution never made compliance optional. “Never in our nation’s history has it ever been a public debate whether to uphold or not the ruling of the Highest Court in our Land,” he said, urging the “House Elders” to lead by example in preserving the court’s dignity and integrity.
On the fight against drugs, the Senator called for continued Senate engagement to address concerns over selective justice and to ensure that all persons are treated equally before the law. He also demanded that the Inspector General of Police account for his statement that senior officials of the current government are involved in the drug trade.
On confirmation hearings, Senator Brown said the process should not be taken lightly. “Confirmations are sacred and should not be treated lightly by the Senate,” he declared, adding that individuals who previously enjoyed the Senate’s trust but performed poorly should not be rewarded with new confirmations.
The University of Liberia has long faced challenges, and the extended closure has left thousands of students uncertain about their academic future. Senator Brown’s call is expected to add pressure on the Senate leadership to take up the matter as the new session gets underway.
