Protesting BCTC Students Demand Resignation of Dr. Roland Massaquoi

GBARNGA, BONG COUNTY – A group of students at the Bong Technical College in Gbarnga are calling for the resignation of the College’s President, Dr. Roland Massaquoi.
The students through their leader, Richard F. Sumo claim that Dr. Massaquoi’s continued presence at the college goes against an executive order issued by former President George Manneh Weah.
The protester’s leader alleged that Dr. Massaquoi has not complied with the order of the former President Weah by steping down and has started appointing individuals to key administrative roles.

Former President George Weah signed an executive order on November 22, 2023, requiring all non-tenured presidential appointees to resign before the new government took office.
In a bid to uphold the former President’s directive, the students have initiated demonstrations on the campus, and the Gbarnga Administration building demanding Dr. Roland Massaquoi to step down.
The students stated, “Dr. Massaquoi has disregarded the Executive Order’s resignation requirement.”
They told the Informer Newspaper that they are pushing for Dr. Massaquoi’s ouster due to his alleged failure to enhance the college’s standing.
Furthermore, the disgruntled students asserted that Dr. Massaquoi has been unlawfully redirecting the college’s electricity supply to other establishments in Gbarnga for personal benefit.
The students name poor learning environment, and lack of full-time- Instructors as some of the outstanding issues affecting the instruction.
Moreover, they promised to prevent the resumption of normal academic activities until those key conditions are addressed.
They also condemned the County’s local leadership through the office of the acting Superintendent along with the Bong Legislative Caucus for their silence on Dr. Massaquoi’s awful steps.
For their part, the acting Superintendent of Bong County, Jefferson Gbaryan, and the Local Government Council Chairman Aaron Sackie-Fenlah admonished the protesting students to abandon their protest on grounds that their plight would be address through the Bong County Legislative Caucus.
Also speaking via mobile phone, Co-chair of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, Senator Johnny K. Kpehe called on the students to abandon their protest, adding that their plight will be address shortly.
But the students have refused to listen to their local leaders on ground unless they see them in the County, especially the Caucus chairman.
According to the students, on several occasions, they have written the leaders regarding the issues at the Bong County Technical College BCTC, but they have refused to address them.
The Bong Technical College was established in 2010 by an act of Law for the sole purpose of educating aspiring students in disciplines that are technical and skill-oriented.
The College is accredited by the National Commission on Higher Education to offer undergraduate degrees in Computer Science, Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering, Agriculture Technology, Science Education, and Nursing.
The college opened its doors to students on November 18, 2013, and has since provided services to qualified students from around the Liberia.
The current enrollment of the College stands at over one thousand students.