ETU-SL INAUGURATES NEW CHANCELLOR

The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education in collaboration with the Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone has on Friday 3rd February 2026 inaugurated Prof. Joe Andrew Dominic Alie as the third chancellor at the Ahmed Tejan Kabbah Hall.
In his welcome address, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of ETUSL, Dr. Lawrence Sao Babawo reflects how the Eastern Technical University had transition from being a catechist training college to now a technical university that maintains it past of technical education. “The institution was established with clear mandate to provide demand-driven, practical oriented and research-informed technical education that directly responds to our country’s development priorities, and as a technical university, our charge is to produce graduates who would not only be sound academically but acquire innovative, entrepreneurial and industrially ready”, he stated.
The Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor outlined that the Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone is not only ready to embracing the new trend of education but is challenged to ensure all its memberships; staff and students are geared up for move and ,make Sierra Leone a better place for education.
He further thanked His Excellency Rt. Brig Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the President of the republic of Sierra Leone for appointing Prof. Joe A.D. Alie as the third chancellor of the institution. He welcomed all for gracing the auspicious occasion.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor ad Principal, Prof Mohamed Tailu Lahai expressed delight to His Excellency Rt. Brig Dr. Julius Maada Bio for remembering the ETU-SL by appointing Prof. Joe A.D. Alie. “With this profound academic record this will not only ginger the students but serves a motivation to staff members who feel they have reached the apex of learning”, he opined.
He said the institution is braced up in protecting the mandate that was bestowed on it and therefore it was willing and ready to working with the newly inaugurated chancellor who has a distinct academic track record and readily willing to help in the transformation process of the institution.
The Deputy Minister MTHE, Mr Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara commended His Excellency Rt. Brig Dr. Julius Maada Bio for reposing confidence on those who dully deserve it and are willing and ready to deliver on President’s priority of quality and accessible education for all. He said the appointment of Prof. Joe A.D.
Alie serves as a testament of dedicated service to national development with specific reference to education at all levels. He recalled that Prof. Alie has helped every sector of education and that the recommendation made by the ministry was not a mistake but a blessing to help the new technical university in the Eastern Region.
The astute deputy minister encouraged all to put hands on deck and work with the leadership of the institution to see a successful growth of the institution.
He reaffirmed and pledged the ministry’s commitment to technical education in the country.
He called on the newly inaugurated chancellor to press harder than he has done before for in his later appointments. He said the university was new and needed more than it has now and the chancellor has a three year mandate which he must press utilize well and see how Sierra Leone restores it past glory. “You have the tools and expertise to see that we revamp the long lost glory, Sierra Leone has a long history of educational transformation in the Sub-Sahara Africa it is high time we took it back”, he concluded.
In his well anticipated acceptance address, Prof. Alie thank God almighty for spearing his life to return to a place where he began his academic teaching career, he expressed delight to His Excellency Rt. Brig. Dr. Julius Maada Bio and his government for bestowing such responsibility on him.
He commended his predecessors for holding on the fort; “both men believed deeply and practically in what education can, they gave this young institution their wisdom and their patience, what I can offer them now is not words but the spirit of continuity” he assured.
He noted that the temptations to grow in number and in structure were sacrosanct but the institution must do it wisely in order that the intention for the establishment is not forgotten. He assured that anyone could get bigger but it must be on the basis of quality and relevance or means to sustaining the institution.
“I pledge what a chancellor can honestly pledge; moral leadership, practical support and a steady voice for the university in the affairs of the nation; I cannot do this alone and I would not want to but it has to take all of us”, he called on all.
In his address, he imagined the institution being the centre of excellence in technical, professional and applied learning in the nation. “By excellence I do not mean a slogan on a banner, I mean graduates who are genuinely well taught, at ease with technology ready to start thing of their own rather than wait in line for a post that may never come, and able to solve real problems of real communities”, he affirmed.
He admonished students to be steadfast and disclosed that they administration is working tirelessly to ensure it makes life easy and better for learning.
“I ask you to bear with us while we do so and help by treating this place as your own, look after its property, stay focused by avoiding harmful drug substances and be law abiding”, he cautioned.
“Eastern Technical University stands for hope, not for the Eastern Region alone, but for the whole Sierra Leone, education remains the surest road we have to national development, to a sturdier economy and plain human dignity” he reassured.