*lays foundation of LAUTECH Campus in Iseyin, releases N500million take off grant
By; BAYO AKAMO, badanGovernor Seyi Makinde on Saturday,
disclosed that Oyo State Government is committed to repositioning Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) now solely owned by the state government.
The governor said this in Iseyin at the sod-turning ceremony for the newly-established Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
Governor Makinde stated that in line with the commitment, the state government has also included the expenditure for infrastructure development of the university in the 2022 Budget
He hinted that the state government has already released N500 million as grant to the new Faculty to ensure its smooth take-off, and that an additional grant of about N200 million is coming from the Federal Government.
According to the governor, the improvements in LAUTECH have already brought about the doubling of admission applications to the university from 5,000 to about 11,000 for the 2022 admission exercise.
“No doubt, more people are interested in coming to LAUTECH because of our repositioning of the institution. We are working towards making Oyo State the number one learning destination in Nigeria”, he said.
The governor added, ” to facilitate this, we have also directed the university administration to proceed with the application for conversion of LAUTECH to a conventional university so it can offer other courses such as Law and Humanities. So, this is a win-win situation for all of us in Oyo State”.
“You will agree with me that this type of development comes with huge economic benefits to the people. I am sure that the people of Ogbomoso can testify to how hosting LAUTECH all these years has benefited them. Of course, we are not planning to take away those benefits from them. As mentioned earlier, we have more than doubled the number of applicants for courses this year. These applicants will need more infrastructure. So, having another campus here will help us accommodate them.”
Speaking further, the governor said that the LAUTECH management would sit down with students who are protesting over the policy that any student who failed to pay school fees would not be allowed to sit for examinations, and that his government has already done everything possible to make life easy for students”.
Governor Makinde maintained that apart from investing on improving infrastructure and services in LAUTECH, his administration had also approved a 25 per cent reduction in school fees, which would be effective from the new session and that the government would continue to explore ways through which it could support students.
Welcoming Governor Makinde on behalf of the Iseyin community, Chief Ahmed Raji (SAN), said the people of the community appreciates Governor Makinde for doing so much for the town and Oke Ogun in general, saying, with what he has been able to do, the people of Iseyin and Oke Ogun have said he should continue.
“We thank you, we cannot thank you enough. We rever you.“Iseyin people have always thirsted for a higher institution, many promises were made by previous administrations and broken. But you have kept your word,”
Chairman of the LAUTECH Governing Board, Professor Ayodeji Omole, commended Makinde for being a promise keeper and doing so much to reposition LAUTECH
.The governor said this in Iseyin at the sod-turning ceremony for the newly-established Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
Governor Makinde stated that in line with the commitment, the state government has also included the expenditure for infrastructure development of the university in the 2022 Budget
He hinted that the state government has already released N500 million as grant to the new Faculty to ensure its smooth take-off, and that an additional grant of about N200 million is coming from the Federal Government.
According to the governor, the improvements in LAUTECH have already brought about the doubling of admission applications to the university from 5,000 to about 11,000 for the 2022 admission exercise.
“No doubt, more people are interested in coming to LAUTECH because of our repositioning of the institution. We are working towards making Oyo State the number one learning destination in Nigeria”, he said.
The governor added, ” to facilitate this, we have also directed the university administration to proceed with the application for conversion of LAUTECH to a conventional university so it can offer other courses such as Law and Humanities. So, this is a win-win situation for all of us in Oyo State”.
“You will agree with me that this type of development comes with huge economic benefits to the people. I am sure that the people of Ogbomoso can testify to how hosting LAUTECH all these years has benefited them. Of course, we are not planning to take away those benefits from them. As mentioned earlier, we have more than doubled the number of applicants for courses this year. These applicants will need more infrastructure. So, having another campus here will help us accommodate them.”
Speaking further, the governor said that the LAUTECH management would sit down with students who are protesting over the policy that any student who failed to pay school fees would not be allowed to sit for examinations, and that his government has already done everything possible to make life easy for students”.
Governor Makinde maintained that apart from investing on improving infrastructure and services in LAUTECH, his administration had also approved a 25 per cent reduction in school fees, which would be effective from the new session and that the government would continue to explore ways through which it could support students.
Welcoming Governor Makinde on behalf of the Iseyin community, Chief Ahmed Raji (SAN), said the people of the community appreciates Governor Makinde for doing so much for the town and Oke Ogun in general, saying, with what he has been able to do, the people of Iseyin and Oke Ogun have said he should continue.
“We thank you, we cannot thank you enough. We rever you.“Iseyin people have always thirsted for a higher institution, many promises were made by previous administrations and broken. But you have kept your word,”
Chairman of the LAUTECH Governing Board, Professor Ayodeji Omole, commended Makinde for being a promise keeper and doing so much to reposition LAUTECH
