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Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola on Wednesday evening pledged their irrevocable commitment to the joint ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
The two governors announced the resolution after a four hour meeting held at the Oyo State Governor’s office in Ibadan.
The institution is currently grappling with financial challenges over the owner states’ inability to adequately fund it, a development that has been blamed on the present economic crisis in the country.
Ajimobi, who addressed journalists after the meeting, appealed to the institution’s academic staff to resume academic activities while they address their grievances.
He also said that a visitation panel to be headed by Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN) will review the current terms of engagement with a view of consolidating the joint ownership.
Other members of the panel are Hon Rasheed Afolabi(Osun), Prof. (Mrs) Akinola(Osun), Prof. Sola Fajana (Osun), Dr Tunji Olaopa(Oyo), Prof. Ayo Salami (Oyo) and Mr S. A Raji(Oyo).
Mrs A. O. Makanjuola, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is the panel’s secretary.
The Olanipekun panel was expected to conduct an audit into the institution’s sources and application of funds, while proposing strategies for overall improvement of its quality of education and service delivery.
Ajimobi said: “We have both agreed on the necessity for a comprehensive restructuring of the institution to ensure fair and effective development.We also agreed on the distribution of academic resources, physical structures and other assets of the university across the two states to achieve national, regional and global reckoning.
He enjoined residents, stakeholders, students, teachers and workers in the respective states to go about their lawful duties, and resist any temptation to take laws into their hands.