Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) has released its official findings following an investigation into a staff petition filed in September 2025 against the Chairman of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
The petition alleged intimidation, abuse of office, failure to provide essential work tools, maladministration, mismanagement of facilities, and possible corruption-related actions.
According to the Ministry, the complaints were reviewed alongside the Chairman’s written response and supporting documents presented by staff. A follow-up meeting was held on 11th November 2025, bringing together TEC staff and Commissioners, a representative from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and the Director of Employment from the Ministry of Labour. During the session, the Ministry presented evidence-based conclusions on the issues raised.
The Ministry’s findings confirmed that the TEC Act clearly distinguishes the roles of the Chairman and the Executive Secretary. Evidence showed that all expenditure and administrative requests originated from the Executive Secretary before being forwarded to the Chairman for approval.
Although the TEC Act of 2025 does not explicitly define the role of a Vote Controller, the Ministry referenced guidance from the Public Financial Management Act of 2016. Staff evidence indicated that the Executive Secretary initiated all financial requests, highlighting oversight gaps on his part.
The Ministry further noted that the allocation of office space to the Chairman was consistent with his representational responsibilities, and that his use of an official vehicle aligned with established practice for all Commission Chairpersons.
The investigation also addressed concerns related to procurement procedures. The Ministry confirmed that a request for sole-sourcing a capital project did not receive a “No Objection” from the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA), and therefore was not implemented. The request originated from the Executive Secretary, with no indication that he acted under instruction.
While noting the absence of a fully functional Procurement Unit a weakness that exposes the Commission to risk the Ministry highlighted that NPPA and Audit Service Sierra Leone audits over the past six years had not produced adverse procurement findings.
It was further established that the decision to reallocate funds from recurrent to capital expenditure was made collectively by the Commission. Allegations related to leave allowance for the Chairman were deemed issues for the Audit Service Sierra Leone and Njala University to clarify.
No evidence was found to substantiate claims that the Chairman used personal affiliations to influence institutional accreditation decisions. The Ministry also clarified that the monetized fuel rate applied to the Chairman was a decision adopted Commission-wide.
The review identified longstanding governance and fiduciary weaknesses within the TEC. As a result, the Ministry recommended a Management and Functional Review to strengthen processes, improve oversight mechanisms, and clarify institutional roles.
Based on the evidence including documents submitted by staff the Ministry concluded that several allegations lacked merit. Consequently, the Chairman has been advised to resume his duties to ensure continuity and effective governance at the Commission.
Staff members who remain dissatisfied or believe additional action is necessary have been encouraged to forward their concerns to the Anti-Corruption Commission, which holds the statutory mandate to investigate corruption-related matters.
The Ministry called on all TEC employees to continue performing their roles with professionalism, integrity, and strict adherence to established procedures.
It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the effective functioning of the Tertiary Education Commission and working with relevant authorities to ensure a durable resolution to the issues raised.
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