OYO State government has taken full ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, putting to rest the lingering ownership crisis between the state and Osun State.
Abubakar Rasheed, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), stated this at a press briefing on Friday in Abuja.
While stating that the dissolution was upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two states, he noted that the Osun State Government is to take over the institution’s College of Health Sciences in Osogbo.
Abubakar expressed optimism that the new arrangement would restore peace to LAUTECH.
“It is gratifying to note that after extensive deliberations, negotiations and consultations, both owner states mutually agreed terms and the joint ownership of LAUTECH was formally dissolved,” he said.
The joint ownership of the institution has always been an issue of contention between the two states.
In 2018, the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities embarked on a protracted strike that crippled academic activities for months over the neglect of the school by both the Oyo and Osun State governments respectively.
In 2019, Seyi Makinde, Oyo State governor, had stated during a visit to the institution that the perennial and persistent industrial action experienced by LAUTECH, will be resolved if it is transferred to the state.
He said that the state was financially prepared to shoulder the responsibility of the school if the proposal is granted.
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