A Joint Parliamentary Committee gives Milton Magai Technical University (MMTU), the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), and the New Brookfields Hotel (NBH) one week to resolve their ongoing land dispute.

Calling for a return of a comprehensive position paper, the Committee hoped that all parties would have a concrete agreement afterward.

This directive came during a joint hearing of the Committees on Tourism and Tertiary Education, convened to address the contentious issue of land ownership between MMTU and NBH.

Both institutions have laid claim to the disputed land, which has attracted the involvement of their respective supervisory ministries.

Honourable William Joseph Lamin, Deputy Chairman of the joint committee, presided over the hearing with measured diligence. He called on all parties to present their perspectives on the matter, ensuring that each side was heard.

Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor and Director of Academic Affairs at MMTU Mohamed Allieu Jalloh, informed the committee that the university had previously enjoyed a cooperative relationship with NBH. He revealed that earlier this year, MMTU was in discussions with NBH regarding the use of the disputed land as a parking area. However, he blamed the Permanent Secretary of MTHE, Mr. Cooper, for disrupting these talks, escalating the situation into a full-blown conflict.

“We are not receiving the necessary support from the Ministry, particularly from the Permanent Secretary,” Jalloh stated, accusing Mr. Cooper of fueling the dispute between NBH and MMTU.

Jalloh further disclosed that renovations and ongoing construction at MMTU’s Brookfields campus have stalled due to a lack of funds. He mentioned that the university has not yet received the financial support promised by the government, hindering the completion of these critical projects.

“The Permanent Secretary does not understand the cost implications of stalling the university’s court,” Jalloh added. He also claimed that the Minister of Higher and Technical Education had threatened the university, stating that if they refused to cede the land to NBH, the ministry would allocate another portion of land to the hotel.

In contrast, Emmanuel J. Momoh, Director of Education at MTHE, asserted that the Minister is fully aware of the situation. He recounted an instance when MMTU was summoned to a meeting by MTHE, but the university declined to attend. Momoh cited Section 16 of the 2001 Polytechnic Act, which allows for the transfer of property between parties.

Hon. Ben Alpha Mansaray urged a national approach to the issue, advocating for the development of the country’s education system over the support of private entertainment facilities. “Let us save the nation by improving universities rather than supporting hotels,” Mansaray advised.

A representative from the Teaching Service Commission noted that while the dispute had not been formally brought to their attention, they were aware of it through their involvement with the university’s court.

The committee concluded by instructing all parties to resolve the dispute amicably, prepare a position paper, and present it to the committee by Thursday, August 29, 2024. Additionally, MMTU was ordered to draft a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Student Loan Scheme, which currently occupies a section of the Brookfield campus, outlining clear terms of tenancy.