By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC) in the port city of Buchanan has again been rocked by yet another scandal.
The new administration headed by Dr. Samuel K. Monwell has dismissed with immediate effect the head of the Business Department, who is also Chairman of Alternative National Congress (ANC), Solomon Abba Kollie for allegedly receiving bribe from a female graduating student of the college.
But Mr. Kollie has since denied receiving bribe to graduate the student in question.
A letter of dismissal in the possession of www.newspublictrust.com says the Business department head employment been terminated and this action came at the result after completing a critical and appropriate steps of the college’s special investigative committee report. The report indicates that Mr. Kollie received a gift in cash of four thousand Liberian dollars from a prospective graduating female student to pass a course he (Mr. Kollie) taught during the vacation school last February, something that is tantamount to bribery.
Over the years, the GBCC has been embroiled in a number of controversies and scnadals.
The letter disclosed that the GBCC Business Department head and the opposition ANC Grand Bassa County Chairman’s action does not only weaken academic quality at the institution, but also defames the good reputation of the institution as well as reducing the high standard of education at the college.
Mr. Kollie during an investigation admitted receiving the money but said it wasn’t a bribe to enable the female student to graduate.
An investigative report said the dismissed GBCC’s Business Department Head allegedly violated the National Code of Conduct Act passed by the Legislative prescribing all public officials and employees of Liberia(Final Version) of 2014 in Article 1.3.2 a,b and 1.3.3 respectively.
Similarly, said action is by far unacceptable and punishable offense even in grade schools, and tertiary institutions like Grand Bassa Community College as prescribed by the Code of Conduct for teacher and school administrators in Liberia of 2014. It cited section 4.2.3.4 which states that in a discharge of duties and responsibilities, all teachers, school administrators shall not accept gifts, favor or hospitality that impair his or her judgement which is tantamount to bribery as stated by chapter 1.4(b) that bribery as reward, inducement or anything promised, offered, given accepted or received by a teachers or school administrator for an account of favors the dismissed noted.
“Based on this, all benefits associated with your positions will no longer be valid and you hereby advise to return all items or properties of the department and college in your possession as of April 30, 2020 before 12:00pm to the human resource department of GBCC and you entitled to your salary paid up unit the moment of termination,” the dismissal letter to Mr. Kollie said.
The letter revealed that said decision is non-reversible and advised Mr. Kollie to read the Act of 2014 regarding teachers Code of Conduct final version.
Prior to his dismissal, he occupies numerous position such as Alumni Association president of GBCC, Vice President for Faculty and Staff while at the same time serving as Business Department Head.
On the other hand, the female student, who allegedly bribed Mr. Kollie, has been denied graduation and asked to repeat all courses of the Business Department.