Dr Alieu Gibba, a senior lecturer at the University of The Gambia, has lamented about “injustice” against Gambian academic staff of the university amid a raging feud between him and the varsity.

Dr Gibba and a fellow senior lecturer Dr Matarr Njie recently walked out of the university’s disciplinary hearing citing bias. He has been a staunch critic of the university leadership.

“The Gambian Academic and Admin Staff at the UTG continue to be unfairly and unjustly treated and punished by the UTG Management and Governing Council. Both have a role to play as this form of maltreatment and injustice can be stopped by both of them.

“How can those whose promotions are still unjustifiably delayed apply for the 2024 promotions without knowing the outcome of the 2023 promotions? Then why the call for the 2024 promotions if that of the 2023 is not released? This is indeed the highest form of injustice I have ever seen at the UTG,” he said.

“In May every year, calls for promotion are usually announced at the nation’s top university for various academic and administrative ranks. In May 2023, when a substantial number of Gambians applied, the promotion committee constituted by the UTG authorities led by Professor Sidat Yaffa, submitted their recommendations to the Vice Chancellor (Professor Herbert Robinson) who is still refusing to release the promotions and continues to ignore our emails in relations to the promotions until the call for 2024 was announced in May this year.

“The UTG Staff continue to suffer under the current leadership. Other top staff recently left the University after diligently serving. Saikou Jeng, the Principal Procurement Officer who worked for 19 years left due to frustration. He now works as a Senior Procurement Manager at Social Security. Our competent Director of Research and Consultancy, Dr. Muhammad Lamin Sanyang has also left due to frustration. Some of us will never be frustrated and we are not moving an inch. The UTG doesn’t belong to anyone,” he added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba