Speaker Koon Urges Dialogue Over Protests at University of Liberia

House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon has called on students of the University of Liberia (UL) to embrace dialogue with national leaders rather than resorting to protests and riots as a means of addressing grievances on campus. Speaking at a ceremony marking the hosting of the national flag alongside the University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU) flag on Tuesday, Speaker Koon reaffirmed his commitment to working with the student leadership to resolve long-standing issues affecting the institution. “We don’t want to see demonstrations or riots. Please engage my office first, and I will take your concerns directly to the President for immediate action,” Koon told ULSU executives and students. He stressed that the Boakai-led government is willing to work with the Student Union to address issues affecting the University of Liberia, citing recent discussions with ULSU President J. Blio B. Tingbain about ongoing campus challenges. Among the initiatives highlighted, the Speaker pointed to efforts to renovate restrooms on the Capitol Hill and Fendall campuses. “We have already begun plans to renovate the restrooms at the two major campuses and are working on transportation issues, including the university bus,” he added. For her part, ULSU President J. Blio B. Tingbain welcomed Speaker Koon’s intervention and pledged the student leadership’s cooperation in seeking constructive solutions to campus issues. Koon, himself a lecturer at UL, further urged alumni and other stakeholders to join efforts to reposition the university as a leading institution on the continent. “The University of Liberia must remain the number one institution of higher learning in the Republic of Liberia and across Africa,” he said. The Speaker promised to champion student-centered interventions in collaboration with ULSU leadership and assured students of his open-door policy on campus-related matters.