The Oyo State House of Assembly has passed into Law, a Bill to affirm the sole ownership and management of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, by the Oyo State government.
However, the issue of the multi-campus structure canvassed by the State government generated a heated debate among the lawmakers during the consideration of the report on the Bill presented by the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology during Monday plenary.
The concern of some of the lawmakers about some clauses which were either inserted or expunged from the committee report led the Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, to rule that the Bill be subjected to a clause by clause consideration by the entire Assembly.
While the principal Bill provides for the establishment of campuses/colleges/faculties in other towns and cities in the State, members had wondered why three was the inclusion of the clause, “as it may be deemed necessary” in the Committee report presented.
Although lawmakers, like the Deputy Speaker, Abiodun Fadeyi and Dele Adeola of Iseyin/Itesiwaju Constituency, argued that ”the inclusion of such clause made the creation of multi-campus discretionary,” Sanjo Adedoyin of Ogbomoso South and Wumi Oladeji of Ogbomoso North held that the clause was not ambiguous and should be retained.
With the session toeing the line of for and against multi-campus, Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, cautioned members against arguing based on their political or geographical zone leanings.
He consequently subjected the need to expunge the clause, “as it may be deemed necessary” to voice vote with those in support of the removal sounding highest.
Ruling in favour of multi-campus for LAUTECH, Ogundoyin gave the example of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, which also has other campuses, without the standard of the institution diminishing, as feared for LAUTECH in some quarters.
Among others, the law stipulates that the Institution has the power to hold and dispose of movable and immovable property as well as offer academic, professional, diploma, first degree, postgraduate degree programmes.
In addition, the Law mandates LAUTECH to offer academic and professional programmes that revolve around planning, adaptive, technical maintenance, engineering, scientific, agricultural, medical and allied professional disciplines.
Down from five years, the Bill was amended to mandate the Visitor to the University to visit the Institution at least once in four years.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
