-Amid retirees’ Posts
BY: Shallon S. Gonlor
SANNIQUELLIE, NIMBA CO. — Report from the NimbaUniversity has alleged that ‘conflict of interest’ is reportedly growing tension among workers of the Nimba University over retirees’ positions.
Sources inside the university revealed that there are series of life threatening tensions among employees and applied candidates over positions left behind by retirees as the result of government pension letter.
Sources inside the university named the positions as Vice President for Administration, Dean of Admissions and Records, Institutional Advancement, Dean of Health Sciences and Dean of College for Social Sciences.
Others are Director of Communications, Vice President for Information Technology, lectures for Criminal Justice are among several positions raising tensions among workers expressing interest for appointment.
It can be recalled few days ago, the Civil Service Agency of Liberia issued and retired several government employees of the university including agencies and ministries having reached the benchmark for retirement in line with the Constitution of the Republic.
At the same time, reliable informers closed to the Administration told our correspondent that other big hands are also adding insults to injuries by recommending their interest from outside and within the institution for preferment.
It further named the Executive Director of the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE), Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor, and others are big hands fueling tension between long-term volunteers, regular staffers posting for promotion and recommendated individuals.
While others aggrieved are prevailing on the University’s President, Jessie Noah Mongrue and his able Administration to act in line with the national and institution’s constitutions.
The Government of Liberia retirement guidelines mandated the Civil Service Agency to manage all pension activities in collaboration with the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).
Effective July 1, 2018, the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) took over the management of the National Pension Fund. This is in keeping with an amendment to the New Executive Law establishing the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation of the Republic of Liberia.
Meanwhile, the CSA receives pension requests from Government Ministries, Agencies, Commissions, and other State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that are desirous of retiring employees who have qualified for retirement due to age or ill-health.
As per the new Pension Laws that came into effect on February 13, 2017, qualification for pension is based on Age 60 and Ill-Health. While retirement based on ill-health must be supported by an official medical report signed and stamped by a qualified retiree.
According to the law, the institutions, CSA and NASSCORP are at liberty to provide retirement package for all retirees outside of the handshake package provided by the Government of Liberia. However, in the event wherein Government is unable to provide said package due to budgetary constraints or other reasons, the institution can use its own package as a substitute.
Meanwhile, efforts are still underway to contact the President of the Nimba University, Dr. Jesse Noah Mongrue and the Executive Director of the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE), Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor to comment, but previous efforts exerted failed until news time.
