NAN-H-87
Committee
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Feb. 13, 2017(NAN) Oyo and Osun State Governments have inaugurated a 10-member technical committee to review the report submitted by the Chief Wole Olanipeku Visitation Panel to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
Mr Yomi Layinka, the Special Adviser to the Oyo State governor on Communication and Strategy, told newsmen in Ibadan on Monday.
Layinka said that the technical committee would be headed by Dr Gbade Ojo, the Chief of Staff to the Oyo State governor.
He said that Mr Kunle Adeosun, a Director, Higher Education in the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, would serve as the secretary.
The members of the committee from Oyo State are: Mr Seun Abimbola, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr David Olatunde, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance.
Others are: Mrs Aderonke Makanjuola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Mr Afeez Adeleke, Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Education.
To represent Osun State on the committee are: Mr Obafemi Akinyele, a former Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office and Mr Adebimpe Ogunlumade, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance.
Also are: Mr. Sunday Olajide, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Hon. Folorunsho Bamisayemi, Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Education.
“The two governors agreed to set up the technical committee to produce a draft white-paper on the visitation panel’s report submitted to them on Feb.10.
“The committee, whose membership cut across both states, was mandated to take a critical look at the recommendations of the visitation panel, and review whatever inadequacies it might contain.
“The committee was also saddled with the task of suggesting recommendations for the sustainability of the institution, without necessarily bringing financial burden to the owner states, “he said.
Layinka added that the two governors had concluded on an arrangement to engage an international management consulting firm to look into the management structure of the institution and its finances.
He said such was with a view to offering long term sustainable recommendations to the two owner states.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the visitation panel headed by Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN) was constituted on Oct. 19, 2016 by Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun.
The panel was set up by the two owner states of the institution to examine the factors responsible for the perennial crises at the institution and proffer solutions.
NAN reports that the visitation panel had on Friday, Feb. 10, submitted its report to the owner state governments.
In the report, the panel had among others, recommended and implored the two states to inject more funds to the university.
NAN also reports that the institution which resumed academic works recently was closed for almost eight months owing to several months of unpaid salaries to its staff.
The two state governments had to jointly release N500 million to the LAUTECH authorities to pay part of its outstanding staff salaries after its students had staged a peaceful protest in early January over the continuous closure of the institution.(NAN)
TAA/KOLE/PAD
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Edited by Remi Koleoso, Peter Dada