By
Prince Adetunji Fabode
Governors of Nigeria’s Oyo and Osun states, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola, have been urged to prioritize the release of funds to solve the immediate need of the institution so as to allow academic and other activities to resume without further delay.
The house in their submission resolves that, rather than waiting until the report of the visitation panel set up by the governors at a meeting held in Ibadan on Wednesday night, the two state governors should release funds as a short term solution to the problem.
Speaker of the House, Hon Michael Adeyemo said “waiting for the committee’s report will further extend the days of the students at home and prolong the industrial action being embarked upon by the Unions in the institutions.”
“The students have stayed long at home already and we do not want them to continue to wait until the report comes out in a couple of weeks or months time, we want short term solution so that they can return to the schools for academic work.”
Hon Wumi Oladeji, representing Ogbomoso North state constituencies, in her submission expresses dissatisfaction over the action of Osun state governments on the institution.
“Posterity will judge all of us if we failed to say and do the right thing on the issue of LAUTECH, Osun state which has refused to release funds for the institution for some time now, is busy constructing Mega schools, funding University of Osun and others but decided to starve LAUTECH of funds, because it is is jointly owned; it is not good.”
Hon Oladeji, ex staff of the institution, harps on the need for the state governors and other stakeholders to meet in order to find a lasting solution to the problem confronting the institution as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the governments of Oyo and Osun have jointly agreed on the irrevocable ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso in the bid aimed at finding a lasting solution to the financial crisis rocking the ivory tower.
The position was made on Wednesday in Ibadan, after a 5-hour closed-door meeting between Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and his State of Osun counterpart, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
The joint meeting had in attendance respective representatives of both states.
According to a communique read by Governor Ajimobi after the joint meeting, it regretted the current challenges of poor funding of the institution, adding that both states had resolved to be fully committed to move the institution forward.
Similarly, the communique stated that due to the historical affinity between both states, they have agreed to rededicate all efforts towards the development of the institution and to equally see to its comprehensive restructuring in terms of academic resources and physical structures in order to meet up with the global reckoning.
However, a visitation panel would be constituted, whose terms of reference will include the review of the current terms of engagement with a view to consolidating the joint-ownership and to conduct an audit of the institution’s resources and application of funds as well as proposing strategy for the overall improvement in quality of education and service delivery at the institution.
The communique added that the visitation panel would be headed by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Other members of the visitation panel include Hon. Rasheed Afolabi, Prof (Mrs.) Akinola and Prof. Sola Fajana representing the State of Osun.
Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Prof Ayo Salami and Barr. S.A Raji representing Oyo State are also part of the members of the visitation panel, while Mrs. M.O. Makanjuola, Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology would serve as Secretary of the panel.
The visitation panel was given four weeks to submit its findings.
However, both governors, through the communique appealed to residents or the two states and other concerned stakeholders including students, teachers and workers to go about their lawful duties and to resist any temptation to take the law into their hands, adding that any group that violated the warning would face the full wrath of the law.
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