The Oyo State Government has so far paid a total of ₦5 billion to the Osun State Government in fulfilment of the agreement that ceded sole ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, to Oyo.
Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, who made this known, said the total agreed sum for the transfer of ownership was ₦8 billion. He added that the Makinde administration has been releasing ₦1 billion annually and is on course to complete the payment before the end of its tenure in 2027.
Oyelade recalled that the historic agreement between the two states was reached on November 20, 2020, bringing an end to the protracted joint ownership which was marked by frequent disputes from 2007 to 2019.
He credited Governor Seyi Makinde with resolving the impasse, describing the development as “God-sent” for Oyo State. According to him, LAUTECH has since experienced significant growth, regaining its status as the Best State University in Nigeria.
“Beyond academic excellence, LAUTECH has expanded in scope and infrastructure,” Oyelade said, citing the establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Iseyin.
He revealed that alongside last Thursday’s ₦1 billion release to Osun, the governor also approved ₦650 million as a take-off grant for the Teaching and Research Farm at the Iseyin campus.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the state government has commenced the simultaneous construction of health centres and road infrastructure at the LAUTECH Iseyin campus, the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University in Ibadan, and the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education in Oyo.
