News & Media
Liberian ministry looks to Unisa for service delivery expertise
On 7 April 2025, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Puleng LenkaBula, together with the university’s apex management, welcomed a delegation from the Government of the Republic of Liberia, led by the Honourable Hadja Mamaka Bility, Minister of State Without Portfolio, who were on a mission to capacitate the Presidential Delivery Unit through potential analysis and possible partnership with the university.
Seated, from left: His Excellency Prof Iqbal Jhazbhay, South African Ambassador to Liberia; Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor; The Honourable Hadja Mamaka Bility, Liberian Minister of State without Portfolio; and Mack Mulbah, consultant to the PDU.
Standing, from left: Dr Benni Lekubu, Acting Deputy Registrar: Governance; Matsiababa Motebele, Vice-Principal: Facilities and Estates; Prof Moloko Sepota, Acting Registrar; Dr Advocate Oupa Mabusela, Director of Legal Support in the Office of the Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor; Mathabo Nakene-Mginqi, Chief Information Officer and Vice-Principal: Information and Communication Technology; Varfin Donzo, Head of the PDU; Paul H Bee, IT Consultant, PDU; Prof Solomon Magano, Acting Vice-Principal: Institutional Development; and Dr James Karmoh Sowah Jr, consultant to the PDU.
Further back, middle: Agent Emmanuel Fallah Kulloe, Executive Protection Service, Liberia
The VC welcomed the delegates and expressed her heartfelt appreciation for their visit. Continuing, she said that the visit pivots Liberia’s commitment to building its nation through strategic partnerships and collaborative engagements.
The VC continued to elaborate on this prestigious visit: "The Liberian Presidential Ministry found us as an important lever for upskilling, reskilling and training their public servants, civic society members and business leaders. Because Liberia is currently engaged in strengthening its infrastructure, they are looking for project managers and engineers. Our College of Science, Engineering and Technology will form part of their reskilling and mentorship plans."
The VC emphasised that many Liberian companies, especially in the mining sector, will greatly benefit from this.
She continued by saying that Liberia’s population comprises about 70% young people, "therefore, this means that young people in South Africa and in Libera must integrate so that they strengthen their countries".
Concluding, the VC mentioned the university’s history, including its curricula offerings through its colleges, and the significance of the catalytic niche areas in driving innovation and addressing societal challenges to benefit the country and the continent.
Choosing Unisa
The Honourable Hadja Mamaka Bility, Liberian Minister of State without Portfolio
Minister Bility stated that they specifically chose Unisa as the designated higher education institution at which to conduct their study tour, since the university is well positioned to train and capacitate the Liberian President’s Delivery Unit (PDU) in tracking and evaluating government priority projects. "In addition," she said, "we are currently running a lot of infrastructure programmes dealing with heavy machinery, and therefore we want to bring our young people to Unisa to learn."
Concluding, Bility thanked Her Excellency, Minister Maropene Ramokgopa, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, for the invitation to the country. She said the meeting with Unisa was a big success, and going forward, she said a memorandum of understanding with the university is on the cards, which, she said, will include the finer details that will govern this partnership between Unisa and the Liberian Presidential Ministry.
As she leads Liberia’s efforts to reform and revitalise its public delivery systems, Bility remains committed to building strategic partnerships, sharing knowledge across borders, and fostering institutional excellence that directly impacts the lives of ordinary Liberians.
This study tour signifies Liberia's commitment to enhancing its governance and public service efficiency. By leveraging Unisa's expertise, the Minister aims to return to Liberia equipped with valuable insights and practical tools to significantly improve service delivery outcomes for the Liberian people.
Following the successful discussions between Unisa and the Liberian Presidential Ministry, Bility, together with her key delegation, will be visiting Minister Ramokgopa to further ideate on the best practices that can be adopted to strengthen the Liberian PDU.
* By Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement
** Photography by Shooheima Champion, Multimedia Centre
Publish date: 2025/04/08
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