LAUTECH: Oyo government approves N8bn payment to Osun government

The Oyo State Government has approved the payment of N8billion to the Osun State Government as part of the agreement reached for taking over the sole ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho.

The amount, according to the Oyo State Government, is the outcome of the asset sharing between the two states when the ownership crisis issue was resolved in favour of Oyo State and is to be paid in four instalments, over a period of three years.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, made the disclosure, on Tuesday, during a Press Briefing, after the weekly State Executive Council meeting, the first in the year 2021, presided over by the President of the Council, Governor Seyi Makinde and held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Olaleye said: “The breakdown of the payment is as follows, N1billion is to be paid in January 2021, another N1billion to be paid in December 2021. N3billion is to be paid in 2022 and the last N3billion is in 2023. The money is once and for all. What we are having now is a total package and all other things have been taken care of. If there are liabilities, they have been taken care of at both ends and everything has been packaged into this sharing.”

Also speaking at the Press Briefing, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Seun Ashamu, stated that the Council also gave approval for the provision of urgent power intervention at the Rural Community Development Centre (RCDC), Awe, put at a cost of N92million, which is one of the hubs for the agri-business development of the administration, as his Ministry would provide a tribrid system comprising solar, diesel generator and battery storage.

Ashamu also revealed plans by the government to begin a bicycle-sharing pilot scheme, codenamed: ‘Keke-Seyi’, at the cost of N750, 000, to aid the movements of members of the public and staff of the State, within the Agodi State Secretariat, noting that the Scheme would be piloted in collaboration with ‘Our Bike Nigeria’, an indigenous company who has offered the State 60 bicycles for the pilot, which will last for a period of three months.

Justifying the need for the Bicycle Scheme, Ashamu said: “The bicycles are there to promote a number of things: ease of mobility within the Secretariat, they are there to promote healthy living, particularly when you consider the interesting circumstances that we find ourselves in the world today and with people’s lives and livelihood.”

He explained that a bike-sharing scheme, guided by protocols and procedures, means one can enter into the Secretariat through any of the main entrances, pick up a bicycle and ride it to wherever one is going, noting that the bicycles would also be available to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, so that members of staff can also use the bicycles.

“It is a bike-sharing scheme that has been in Europe and North America long before we brought it to Africa and the company we partner with is already operating in about 16 locations in Nigeria. We will ensure that all health and safety measures are put in place to ensure that we won’t accelerate or contribute to the spread of the novel Coronavirus,” Ashamu explained.

The Press Conference was attended by Commissioners of Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun; Education, Science and Technology, Olasunkanmi Olaleye and Energy and Mineral Resources, Seun Asamu, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr Taiwo Adisa and the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Mr Jide Ajani.

Nnenna.O