By Socrates Smythe Saywon
GANTA, NIMBA COUNTY – As planned, concerned students of the PYJ Polytechnic University on Friday, August 22, 2025, staged a protest in Ganta, demanding the immediate reopening of the institution, which has remained closed since the death of its founder, the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, in November 2024.
The demonstration, led by youths across Nimba County, brought traffic to a standstill as students set up roadblocks while chanting slogans calling for accountability. The protesters argued that the closure of the university for more than seven months has left them stranded and uncertain about their academic future.
“Since the death of Senator Johnson, his legacy, including the university and other institutions he established, has been deteriorating due to poor management and neglect by people who once pretended to be loyal to the late Senator,” one protester said.
In a press release issued Thursday, August 21, and signed by Roland B. Yormie, spokesperson of the Concerned Students, the group announced that the protest would begin at LPMC and proceed to the university campus in LPRC. There, they planned to present a petition to the Popariratres, the Nimba Legislative Caucus, the Vice President of Liberia, the Superintendent of Nimba County, the Board of Trustees, and the university administration.
“For more than seven months, PYJ Polytechnic University has remained closed following the passing of the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson. This closure has left students stranded, uncertain about their academic future, and deprived of the opportunity to pursue their education in a timely manner. As students, we believe this is not only unacceptable but also an injustice to the legacy of the man who founded this institution,” the release stated.
The students described the university as a “beacon of hope” for thousands across Nimba and Liberia, stressing that its prolonged closure dishonors the legacy of Senator Johnson and undermines the dreams of young people eager to pursue higher education.
“The truth must be told: the real legacy of the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson is not only in the politics he engaged in but in the educational opportunity he left behind through PYJ Polytechnic University. To allow it to remain closed without a clear timeline for reopening dishonors that legacy and undermines the dreams of countless young people,” the statement continued.
The Concerned Students condemned what they called the inaction of the Board of Trustees and the Popariratres, accusing them of failing to ensure the smooth operation of the university since Senator Johnson’s passing. They appealed to the national government and education stakeholders to intervene, stressing that many students cannot afford to attend universities outside of Ganta due to the high costs of rent, transportation, and tuition.
The students also made it clear that their demonstration was not intended to spark violence. “We are not protesting to create chaos or division. We are protesting because we believe in the power of education. We are protesting because we cannot sit idly while our future slips away. We are protesting because PYJ Polytechnic University must reopen for the sake of students, parents, and the entire county,” the release emphasized.
As of press time, local authorities had yet to formally respond to the students’ demands.
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