Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, has released N472 million to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and the institution’s Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State.
Breakdown of the amount, Daily Sun gathered, indicates that, while N250 million would go to the university, N222 million would go to the teaching hospital in Osogbo, for payment of salaries.
This came barely a week after the inauguration of a five-man panel to negotiate Osun State’s rights and privileges in the joint ownership of the institution with Oyo State.
Governors of the two owner-states, Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun, had met in Abuja two weeks ago at the instance of the Chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Oladapo Afolabi, to chart a way forward for the university over the funding crisis rocking the institution.
Part of the understanding reached at the meeting was the setting up of a 10-man committee, five from each state, to examine the issues surrounding the joint ownership agreements and proffer lasting solutions to the crisis.
In a letter, addressed to the chairman of the university’s council and signed by the state Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji, the governor said the fund released was in line with the earlier agreement reached at a meeting in Abuja between Makinde and himself on the need to guarantee financial stability and sustainability of the institution.
“I wish to inform you that Osun government has paid N250 million to LAUTECH, Ogbomoso in line with the agreement earlier reached by governors Oyetola and Makinde (the two owner-states) in Abuja to ensure financial stability and sustainability of the institution.
“It is also worthy of note that Osun has released N222 million to the teaching hospital in Osogbo for salaries’ payment which brings the total funds released to the university to N472 million only,” he said in the statement.
