LAUTECH: Mixed reactions trail multi campus plan among Oyo lawmakers

The plans of the Oyo State government to institute a new multi campus arrangement for the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho is already generating a mixed reactions from stakeholders.

The latest argument on the plan occured among the members of the Oyo State House of Assembly during Thursday plenary.

The lawmakers expressed their separate and diverse views while deliberating on a Bill to affirm the sole ownership of the institution which was recently awarded the Oyo State government after a protracted ownership crisis between the two owners-government of Oyo and Osun states.

The bill scaled through second reading stage at the Oyo state house of Assembly, on Thursday.

While some of the lawmakers expressed their displeasure on the plan, some other seized the opportunity of the debate to canvassed in support of multi-campus plan and also making case for the location in their various constituencies.

The proposed LAUTECH Ogbomoso law 2020, provides for the establishment of campuses/colleges/faculties in other towns and cities in the state.

The bill also stipulates that the institution has power to hold and dispose of movable and immovable property as well as offer academic, professional, diploma, first degree, postgraduate degree programmes.

Additionally, the bill holds that LAUTECH will offer academic and professional programmes that revolve around planning, adaptive, technical maintenance, engineering, scientific, agricultural, medical and allied professional disciplines.

The lawmakers also during the ensuing debates advocated various positions on how best the university should be established and run.

In her own contribution, the lawmaker representing Ogbomoso North constituency, Honourable Wumi Oladeji opposed the multi-campus provision of the bill, arguing that Ogbomoso town will be left to suffer economically if the proposed multi-campus system is implementated.

But Honourable Kazeem Isiaka who represents Oyo East/Oyo West constituency, asked that the ‘Technology’ part of the name of LAUTECH be removed and that the school should become a conventional university running more courses.

Supporting the multi-campus proposal, the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Abiodun Fadeyi demanded that his constituency, Ona Ara, should host one of the proposed satellite campuses.

The duo of Honorable Ayo Fatokun (Akinyele 1 constituency) and his counterpart from Iseyin/Itesiwaju constituency, Honourable Dele Adeola however called for calm in the arguments on the multi-campus pla for the university.

They noted that the emphasis should be on ensuring the establishment of the institution by law and that it should set off on a strong footing.

The Majority leader, Honourable Sanjo Adedoyin and Minority Leader, Honourable Asimiyu Alarape maintained that the sole ownership achieved by the Governor Seyi Makinde administration will help address the regular crises that has rocked the institution.

Other lawmakers who praised the intent of the bill prayed for its speedy passage into law.

The bill was thereafter referred to the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology.