By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Governor Abiola Ajimobi has disclosed that Oyo state government was only giving quarterly subventions to all its six owned Tertiary institutions and not the payment of their workers monthly salaries .
Speaking at the inauguration of the newly constituted governing council for the six state owned tertiary institutions in Ibadan on Tuesday, the governor said the state government was not responsible for the payment of salaries but has been “magnanimous in giving quarterly subventions to the institutions.”
According to Governor Ajimobi, with the situation in the six tertiary institutions, there was the need for members of the governing council
to come up with creative ideas that would add value and turn around the fortunes of the tertiary institutions for good and that the governing councils and management of the institutions should work out survival strategies for these institutions by diversifying out of the traditional source of revenue.
“We have employed KPMG Advisory Service to audit the institutions. KPMG in its report has advised that some institutions were unsustainable and some should be close down.I charge you to come forth with ideas that will add value and bring a new lease of life to the institutions. We are hopeful that government could review its reduction in subvention as the economy becomes more buoyant,” he said.
The governor maintained that the new governing council members should demonstrate creativity and commitment towards bringing value that would bring new lease of life to the institutions.
“Our institutions have been bedeviled by lots of challenges which are not from us as a government but the present challenges. We have carefully selected you, having found you to be men and women of proven integrity to add value to our institutions. I know all of you by your professionalism, value and competence. We believe in your ability to reposition the institutions. There is no doubt in my mind that you all are equal to the task and will make a difference”
Speaking on behalf of the governing council members , the Chairman, Governing Council of the Polytechnic Ibadan, Prof. I.A Adeyemi while lauding Governor Ajimobi for the careful and meticulous selection of the governing council members and that the council members would do their best to prove they were men and women of proven integrity.
“We hope to build strategic idea to bring solutions to the challenges bedeviling the institutions. I assure you that we have already started the efforts here. We should be able to come up with a strategic plan for each institution that will bring about the desired development and expected difference,”.