Oyo state gets LAUTECH as NUC resolves lingering ownership crisis

The National University Commission (NUC) has finally resolved the lingering joint ownership crisis of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, by the Oyo and Osun state governments.

The Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed disclosed that LAUTECH has been handed over to Oyo state government and College of Health Sciences, Osogbo to the government of Osun state.

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Speaking to Journalist in Abuja on Friday, Prof Rasheed said the resolve was made possible with the help of the geographical location of both institutions.

He said: “The mutually agreed dissolution was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of agreement by the executive governors of Oyo and Osun states witnessed by the Attorneys General of both states, giving legal effect to the transfer of ownership of LAUTECH to the government of Oyo state and the College of Health Sciences, Osogbo to the government of Osun state.”

LAUTECH was established in 1990 by the old Oyo State government with the main campus located at Ogbomosho while the Teaching Hospital was subsequently established in Osogbo before Osun state was carved out of Oyo state and both states became joint owners.

However over the years the joint ownership has been characterised by governance and management challenges, affecting the appointment of Vice Chancellor and Principal Officers as well as irregular payment of staff salaries.

Prof Rasheed explained that in a bid to achieve an equitable and mutually agreeable dissolution of the joint ownership of LAUTECH a tripartite committee was set up to re-evaluate and update assets and liabilities of the university to ascertain the values and who should get what.

Adding that forensic audit was also carried out after, which a negotiation retreat was held last week on sharing of the assets and liabilities.

“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.

While noting that the crisis has slowed the progress of the university for too long, he said with the resolve, the NUC will ensure that LAUTECH gets back on track, in a harmonious milieu conducive to discharge of its tripodal mandates of teaching, research and community service so it can occupy its rightful place as a reputable university of technology.