By Joseph Momoh, Reporter D.S
The Parliamentary Committee on Technical and Higher Education, chaired by Hon. Joseph Williams Lamin, on Friday, 19th June 2026, declared that the suspension of the Vice Chancellor and Principal of Milton Margai Technical University, Professor Philip John Kanu, was illegal and recommended his immediate resumption of duty.
This followed an Emergency Summon issued to the University Court Members to discuss “critical matters related to the administration of MMTU.” The Committee acknowledged receipt of minutes of University Court sittings and other documents relating to the operations of the university.
The Committee stated that Engineer Mohamed Alie Jalloh, as Chairman of the University Court and Chancellor of MMTU, does not have unilateral authority to suspend the Vice Chancellor under the Universities Act and MMTU laws. It cautioned that personal conflict must not be used to settle scores against Prof. Kanu.
At its meeting at Parliament Building, Tower Hill in Freetown, the Committee noted that the University Court and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education are at variance on the matter. It resolved to engage the Ministry regularly to ensure a resolution.
The Committee unanimously recommended that the Ministry and MMTU resolve their impasse through dialogue at a meeting scheduled for 6th July 2026.
“Borrowed anger is killing MMTU,” remarked Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, a Committee member.
Further resolutions included the immediate lifting of Prof. Kanu’s suspension, after the Committee found no wrongdoing in its investigation, and the unfreezing of the institution’s bank accounts. The Committee noted it had deviated from its Terms of Reference.
The Committee emphasized that only the President has supreme executive authority to act unilaterally in certain cases, and even then, with limitations. It ruled that the University Court supersedes the committee set up by the Ministry to investigate the matter, and that the Minister should be invited to Parliament for questioning.
With the current stalemate, the Committee stressed that “nobody will win” and that the situation “is not good for the country.” It urged all parties to “bury their egos” and pursue reconciliation.
The Committee condemned dictatorship in any administration and called on all parties to work as partners. It urged stakeholders to return to the drawing board and reflect on the institution’s current state, warning that undermining the situation would damage the country. “What value have the various parties added to MMTU?” members asked.
Members also observed recurring problems between the Ministry and tertiary institutions, citing the University of Sierra Leone and the Tertiary Education Commission.
The Committee examined the delayed report of the Ministry’s committee, set up in March, to review the termination of some MMTU staff. It noted that Prof. Kanu was not only asked to step aside but also pressured to resign — developments that have attracted intense public interest.
It recalled that protesters who demonstrated at the Ministry were non-violent. The Minister had requested data from the Tertiary Education Commission on staff re-categorization for MMTU’s new university status, which was not forthcoming. The Minister also identified irregularities in the report submitted by the Ministry’s committee between March and April.
The Committee observed that the panel formed to investigate the matter focused only on Prof. Kanu, and that its report was not holistically accepted nor its recommendations fully implemented.
Representing the Ministry were Permanent Secretary Sheke Kargbo and Chief Technical Education Officer Dr. Josephus Brima.
Observers welcomed the development, disclosing that over 10,000 students are anxiously waiting to give Prof. Kanu a hero’s welcome.
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