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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, revealed on Thursday that he and his Osun State counterpart, Gboyega Oyetola, have agreed to hold a crucial meeting over Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, saying that ending joint ownership of the institution will be on the table.
Makinde who made the disclosure during his media chat to mark his 100 days in office, said he and Oyetola agreed on the meeting during the Southwest security summit held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday.
He disclosed further that his administration was ready to clear the outstanding July and August subventions which Osun State is yet to pay and which has impeded the institution from paying salaries of its workers.
Makinde expressed Oyo State’s frustration at Osun State’s inability to meet its funding expectations for LAUTECH. He regretted that while Oyo has paid subventions for the period of January to June, Osun, which is to pay for the last six months of the year, has defaulted, thereby making the institution unable of fulfill its obligations to staff and the community.
Governor Makinde recalled that in 2010, former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State and Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State agreed to end the joint ownership with assets sharing modalities finalised before certain factors truncated the process.
He said his administration will not hesitate to push harder for the severance of the joint ownership if the institution’s trouble continues due to lack of funding.