By Saykpekpo Innis in Buchanan
Grand Bassa –Following weeks of tension on campus, the Board of Trustee of the Grand Bassa Community College has suspended the President of the college Dr. Nathaniel Gbasaygee for six months.
The new Interim President of the college will be announced on Monday, November 20, 2017, the Board stated.
The suspension of Dr. Gbasaygee took effect on Friday, November 17, 2017 following a pronouncement by the Board of the college in a press conference held at the Administrative Building in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
According to the Chairman of the Board, Joseph Isaac, the Board took the decision based upon the continuous leadership and financial crisis at the college.
The suspended president, Dr. Gbasaygee, promised in his first address to increase the salary of teachers and create better condition for them but has allegedly failed to do so.
Isaac, who is also the President of the Association of Liberian Universities, said the decision of the Board would help to calm the problems of the college.
Also speaking, the Superintendent of Grand Bassa County Levi Demmah said that he fully supports the decision of the Board.
Superintendent Demmah is also a member of the Board of Trustee of the community college.
Dr. Gbasaygee took over the college in May of this year from the past Interim President Madam Augurie Herring.
He promised to improve the college in a positive way but has been accused of nepotism, discrimination and favoritism by the students and teachers of the community college.
In an interview with the Public Relations Officer of the college James Smith, said the board gave two weeks to Dr. Gbasaygee to address the concern of the teachers and students.
But, according to him, while the process was on, the Board wrote President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf asking for the suspension of the president of the college, Dr. Nathaniel Gbasaygee.
Smith told Magic FM that he was informed that President Sirleaf approved his suspension letter on November 13 and was officially announced on Friday, November 17, 2017 in Buchanan by the Board of Trustee while the two weeks ultimatum has not elapsed.
The suspension of Dr. Nathaniel Gbasaygee was premeditated, the Public Relations Officer told the local Magic FM radio.
It can be recalled in the month of October, the students staged a peaceful protest in demand of their identification cards, handbook and insurance benefits from the administration.
According to a student who spoke to Magic FM, following the protest, the students have so far received their ROTC T – shirts, Physical Education T – shirts and ID cards from the administration of the Grand Bassa Community College.