Sunday, April 10, 2011

Vice Chancellor Kah Ordered to Show Why He Shouldn’t Be Sent to Prisons


The Vice chancellor of the University of The Gambia (UTG) is under-fire for failing to execute a court order which obliged him to effect the promotion of Dr Felixatina Eileen Dowu Jonsyn Ellis from Associate Professor to a full professional rank.
After a week-long thorough investigations, Kissykissymansa has now grasped the crux of the legal tussle involving the country’s highest institution as the University’s officials refused to divulge information.
The civil suit filed against the UTG was instituted by Dr Felixatina Eileen Dowu Jonsyn Ellis, a former acting vice chancellor - from December 2004-October 2005, our investigations revealed.   
Dr Felixatina, a Gambian female Scientist was wrongfully dismissed in 2006 following an accusation made against her allegedly by former Registrar and some senior officials of the University. 
She instituted an action at the High Court, but Office of the President advised that University authorities to resolve the matter out of court. 
A Consented Judgement was entered in April 2009 in favour of the Gambian female scientist. The University authority was ordered to re-instate her, pay her entitlements, compensate her D50, 000, and promote her from Associate Professor to full Professional rank within 10 days.
All the recommendations had been fulfilled except the promotion as the University had claimed that Dr. Felixatina’s documents were not found.
The University assured her that she would be promoted once she re-submitted her documents, which she did she was never promoted, despite her promotion had been approved by the University Council since April 2009.
The Daily News understands that it is the University Senate that makes assessment for promotion of staff and recommends to the University Council for approval. Once the Council approves, there is nothing remaining except administrative task of implementing the decision.
And Dr Felixatina’s promotion had been approved since April 2009 by the University Council, but it was never effected.    
A ruling was done in her favour by Justice Mahoney in March 22, 2011, ordering vice chancellor Kah to effect the promotion within 10 days, and in default he is ordered to appear in court to show cause why he should not be committed to prisons for contempt.
Kah was supposed to appear on Monday at High Court in Banjul, but he travelled out of the country and the matter is resuming Tuesday April 12.

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