Questions are still being asked by sections of the general public and the media about the academic qualifications of (Dr.) Memunatu Pratt, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.
Our investigations reveal that while she was lecturer at Fourah Bay College (FBC) – University of Sierra Leone (USL), her nomenclature carried the title of Dr.
It was when she became minister in the current dispensation that people took notice of the fact that she started using the title (Dr.).
It could be recalled that when the fake degree saga broke, we took upon ourselves as a credible and professional media to go the whole nine yards to investigate the matter fully. We wrote letters to all those that were named as having acquired fake degrees and using same to their benefit with a view to explain their own sides of the story so that we can report a balanced and objective story.
Sadly, Memunatu Pratt, either by omission or commission, did not see it as relevant to respond to the queries in our letter.
Meanwhile, the ACC has concluded its investigation into the fake degree scam hanging over a senior NRA staff, commissioner Ibrahim Sorie Kamara who had been slamed the guilty verdict hammera couple of weeks ago.
The ACC is still investigating the others named as acquiring academic credentials anyway, except legally but it is still unclear whether madam pratt is amongst the big names being investigated not to mention the minister of Agriculture Abubakarr Karim who is alleged to have transformed his nursing certificate into a DR. wholesomely .
If at the end of the day, the ACC comes out with a report unfavorable to Memunatu Pratt, what next?
We are tempted to ask the above question simply because it is an undeniable fact that Memunatu Pratt is still unduly arrogating such a (Dr.) title to herself even when an official statement was already put out by the Government through the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education for all those honorary as well as undeserved Doctorate title carriers to forthwith desist from using such same as prefix to their names.
Moreover, we are still particularly interested to inquire into how far has the ACC gone to investigate the person in question more so when it is an irrefutable truism that she has been undeservedly using such a tittle when she was an active lecturer at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone; Peace and Conflict Department to be specific onto becoming Head of Department of same thereby conferring such undue advantage to herself to catapult herself into such a feat.
Does the ACC want to use their exclusive mandate to request of her to pay back all salary received in the University in such an academic capacity by carrying such undue title to herself? The ACC boss, Francis Ben Keifela was on 98.1 FM radio good morning show yesterday ; and he boastfully said his investigations into the issue is ongoing but he failed to tell the public whether big names such as Tourism minister and agriculture are amongst the key people under his investigative radar. In civilized democracies, Madam Pratt should have resigned her job especially when she is reported to have accepted the fact that her title ‘Dr.’ is a honorary one.
The public curiously wants to know her present status as regard the issue in question particular so when she is still being dressed with the Dr. title. So, what about the salaries she received in her many years as head of the peace and conflict department – FBC? These monies should be returned back to the state. These are tax payers’ monies.
That said, many others who are being investigated have either been relieved of their duties or suspended for same.
Or should we just pretend to be oblivious about this sad reality and leave her to be illegally parading with such unmeritorious title of a Dr.? Is she a sacred cow because she is currently a sitting Minister in the present government?
Are we waiting for a situation where the ACC will give us flimsy ‘’games’ to say they don’t see any case or don’t have much evidence like the Chinese rice saga issue? We are waiting; but we will continue to remind the public and analyze these investigations of fake degrees among top government officials in the Bio government.
