The new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, has said the university will reopen for normal activities in some days’ time.
Afolabi, who said this at a press conference he addressed in Osogbo on Monday alongside other new members of the Governing Council of the university stated that the new council was closer to finding a lasting solution to the problems rocking the institution than when it started.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin and other principal officers of the university as well as members of the Governing Council including Prof. Lai Olurode were present at the press conference.
The Punch quoted the new chairman, who is a former Head of Service of the Federation and a professor of chemistry as saying that he was optimistic of early resolution of the crisis while stressing that he and other members of the council had expressed their determination to restore the lost glory of LAUTECH.
He admitted that the new council was inaugurated at the most trying time, but he assured that they had accepted the challenges and were ready to ensure that all the issues causing perennial crisis at the institution, including sustainable funding were addressed.
He said the new council had been advised to interact more closely with members of staff through their unions in order to gain their confidence and to boost their morale which he said was now at the lowest ebb due to non-payment of their statues for 10 months.
He said the council would interact with the unions, as well as the Student Union and other stakeholders including the two governors, former vice chancellors; the Soun of Ogbomoso, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala among others to ensure that the crisis was permanently resolved.
Afolabi said, “We had our inaugural meeting at the main campus in Ogbomoso on August 9, 2017 and charted for ourselves a 90-day action plan which has started in earnest. For instance, consultations have been held with the various unions, parent forum and traditional rulers.
“We have also engaged the auditing firm, KPMG, and as I address you here, I make bold to inform you that we are expecting an interim report from the firm in a matter of days. It is this report we will be presenting to the visitors to the university. We have high hope that submission of this relief would go a long way in midwife get a lasting solution to the problems of LAUTECH.
“From various interactions of council with the diverse stakeholders, we have realized that we are on the same page, working towards the same goal, which is that. Council should spare no efforts to get the university reopen for students to continue with their studies and move on with their academic pursuit. The students have pledged their cooperation to abide by any decision taken, if that would make the university to work again.”
