An old press statement from State House Communication Unit under the regime of the former President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma meeting with the Africa Graduate University (AGU) has surfaced on social media.

The meeting was held on 23rd April, 2013 at State House where the former President assured the University of his support to provide capacity building for civil servants in government institutions. The press statement was posted on social media by the Press Secretary of the former President, Jarrah Kawusu-Konteh.

The fake degree saga came after a video went viral where Dominion University was awarding PhD degrees to Sierra Leoneans under a mango stick in Waterloo. Many people including Dr. John Idriss Lahai raised concern about the unprofessional conduct of the University for awarding PhD degrees under a mango stick. It was later noticed that, the University is not accredited by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) to award PhD degrees.

Notwithstanding, Dr. John Idriss Lahai has went on the rampage prosecuting the holders of the fake Masters and PhD degrees from the fake University which include, the Inspector General of Police; Ambrose Michael Sovula, Commissioners of the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM); Robert Kondema Kargbo and many other graduates from the fake university. He also revealed that, Mohammed Yamba Bangura is the one running the fake African Graduate University.

However, a 2013 press statement from State House Communications Unit during the tenure of former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma surfaced on social media that was shared by the Press Secretary indicating the involvement of the former President to the establishment of the fake university in Sierra Leone. The press statement reads;

President Koroma meets Civil Service College, AGU

By State House Communications Unit

Freetown, State House, 23rd April, 2013; President Ernest Bai Koroma has expressed delight over the update of the activities of the African Graduate University (AGU), saying that a government can only be successful if it has a professional civil service; a reason why the Civil Service Training College was resuscitated, and is now working in partnership with the AGU based in Kampala, Uganda.

President Koroma said the Civil Service Training College has come a long way in trying to meet government’s expectations by looking at areas of technical and administrative aspects of the institution.

He described the initiative as a welcome move, noting government’s continued support towards the establishment of the Civil Service Academy at Kent Village, which he said is going to be one of his legacies.

Principal of the Civil Service Training College Dr. Mohamed Yamba Bangura said they were moving towards university status with focus on the promotion of standards of civil servants through training support and career development.

He mentioned cabinet briefing, report writing, computer literacy among other areas of capacity building as some of the courses the AGU offers.

Razia Bash Kamara presenting the update on the Civil Service Training College to President Koroma at State House. Razia is an undergraduate student pursuing a course in Journalism and Mass Communications at the African Graduate College working with the Civil Service Training College at Tower Hill, Freetown, Sierra Leone.