MONROVIA – Mounting tensions at the University of Liberia have reached a breaking point as the University of Liberia Students Union (ULSU) threatens mass protests over what it calls a deepening financial crisis and systemic mismanagement. The student leadership has vowed to shut down all university campuses if authorities fail to address allegations of financial discrepancies, salary cuts, and unpaid wages that have crippled academic activities.
ULSU President J. Blio B. Tingban, in a press statement issued on Monday, March 24, 2025, accused the university’s Finance Department of gross incompetence, citing unexplained salary reductions and a lack of transparency in payroll operations. The union is calling for the immediate dismissal of the department’s leadership and a full-scale audit of the institution’s financial activities. At the center of the controversy is nearly 10 million Liberian dollars that ULSU claims have been withheld by the university’s Business and Finance Office since 2020, money the student body says is crucial for student programs and union operations.
The crisis has also left part-time instructors unpaid for seven months, triggering growing discontent among faculty members. ULSU has joined forces with the Joint Faculty Association to demand the immediate settlement of salary arrears and a comprehensive review of the university’s financial management. “We cannot continue under a system that fails to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability,” Tingban stated. “If our demands are ignored, we will mobilize students and faculty to take drastic action.”
The student union has outlined a series of demands, including the restructuring of the Finance Department, a clear framework for timely salary payments, and a salary review policy that reflects academic qualifications and professional growth. It also insists on the immediate release of its designated funds, warning that failure to meet these conditions will lead to mass civil disobedience.
ULSU acknowledged recent efforts by University President Dr. Layli Maparyan and President Joseph Boakai to address the crisis but argues that bureaucratic delays are worsening the situation. The union maintains that the government, through the Ministry of Finance, must release the necessary funds to prevent a complete breakdown of academic operations.
With over 22,000 students enrolled at the University of Liberia, the growing financial instability threatens to plunge the institution into chaos. ULSU has made it clear that it will not back down until its demands are met, setting the stage for what could be one of the largest student-led protests in recent years.
