TEC Chairman Under Fire
A storm of controversy has erupted around the Chairman of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), following revelations that he has allegedly been benefiting from dual payments on the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) payroll from 2019 to 2025.
According to credible reports, Professor Alyageen Mohamed Alghali, the current TEC Chairman, has been receiving salaries and benefits from two separate public institutions simultaneously. While no longer an employee of Njala University, he is alleged to have continued receiving salaries and annual leave allowances as a retired Vice Chancellor, amounting to millions of Leones, even as he also collected a full salary from the consolidated fund as Chairman of TEC.
This practice, widely described as “double dipping”, has sparked outrage and renewed concerns over accountability, transparency, and financial discipline in Sierra Leone’s public service.
Further allegations suggest that Professor Alghali has unilaterally assumed powers not granted to him under the TEC Act and the Public Financial Management Act, including imposing himself as Vote Controller, approving financial requests, conducting weekly management meetings, and assigning himself both an office and an official vehicle.
Critics argue that this case exposes glaring loopholes in the government’s payroll verification system while undermining public trust in institutions tasked with safeguarding higher education standards. Many worry that such practices divert scarce national resources from critical areas like youth development, healthcare, and education, sectors already grappling with chronic underfunding.
Civil society organizations and education stakeholders are now calling for a full-scale investigation, urging the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Ministry of Finance to act decisively. Transparency advocates insist that if substantiated, the matter represents a blatant abuse of public resources and highlights the urgent need for structural reforms to curb payroll fraud and irregularities.
This controversy emerges at a moment when Sierra Leoneans are demanding stronger governance and more prudent use of public funds. As pressure mounts, the responsibility now lies with the relevant authorities to address the unfolding scandal and take decisive action to restore public confidence in the system.
