The President of the William V.S. Tubman University in Harper City, Maryland County, vows to uplift the institution financially through its 500 acres farmland in Barrobo, electoral district#3, Maryland County.
The pronouncement comes in the wake of low budgetary allotment to the University as a result of economic hardship faced by the Weah administration. The university operates with a meager budget of US$250,000, according to authorities.
Addressing a news conference in the county on Monday, August 17, 2020, Tubman University President Dr. Elliot Wreh Wilson lamented that the institution is engulfed by constraints ranging from low budgetary allocation and delay in payment of funds from donors.
Dr. Wilson names the Cavalla Rubber Plantation(CRC), Maryland Oil Palm Plantation(MOPP) and Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) as entities sponsoring students at the University.
According to him, since his appointment as President of the University more than two years ago, there have been financial challenges despite being a state-run university.
He says though the government plays an important role in the University by payingsalaries of professors and lecturers, the university administration shouldn’t expect government to do everything thus, pointing to agriculture as a remedy.
Dr. Wilson noted that the university is blessed to have 500acres of farmland donated by the people of Barrobo on which cassava and palmapple are being cultivated currently. However, he reveals that there are plans to move into cocoa production He recalls that in a recent visit to Monrovia, he held discussion with the Minister of Agriculture Jeanine Cooper, who promised to visit the university’s farmland soon. Dr. Wilson says currently, cocoa nurseries covering about two miles have been prepared.
“We have already twomiles of cocoa on nurseries and we hope in the next three to four years to come, the university will start harvestingcocoa.”You know cocoa makes more money than cassava and palm apple.”
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
He further discloses that the government, thru President George Manneh Weah has granted permission to hair few persons after seen the dream of the university, and that administration has hired about eight graduates from the College of Agriculture and Food Science to supervise the farm.
Dr. Wilson says though the farm is establishedmainly for income generation purpose, it will also serve as a research area for students enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Food Science.
He added that the Commission on Higher Education at the Ministry of Education in Monrovia has granted request to introduce graduate studies at the Tubman University, named in memory of Liberia’s 18th President, the late William V.S. Tubman, who hailed from Maryland County.
Dr. Wilson calls on the national government and meaningful Liberians, including professor and lecturers to dedicate their services in ensuring the agriculture farm programs becomes a reality.
Previously a technical college, the Tubman University was established during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and its first president was Dr. Elizabeth Davies Russell in 2009.It has graduated over 1,000students from six colleges namely; the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Technology, College of Administration and Management, College of Agriculture and Food Science, College of Education and the College of Health Sciences, respectively.
By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland–Editing by Jonathan Browne
