…Restates administration’s commitment to education sector
By Adeyinka Adeniran
Governor Seyi Makinde, has signed into law the bill renaming state-owned First Technical University after Senator Abiola Ajimobi, his immediate predecessor.
While signing the bill entitled “Bill for the Establishment, Incorporation, Constitutions and Functions of Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, Ibadan and Other Related Matters” into law on Wednesday, Governor Makinde reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving the education sector, noting that the government had been investing in the required human and materials resources needed in the sector.
Speaking at the event held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, the governor said the Executive Council approved the Executive Bill repealing the First Technical University Law, 2012 to be replaced by a law that will capture the structural changes the university will go through, including a change of name.
He said: “You may recall last year that during the convocation of the institution, I made an announcement for the change of name to honour my predecessor, under whose administration the university was established.
“So, this new law will codify the change of name, because this administration does not govern by a fiat. We ensure that right governance processes are followed. The new law also means that the University can now appoint a Governing Council to govern its affairs.”
The governor informed the gathering that a governing council would soon be constituted for the university, adding that he had approved the university’s request for N1.4bn to upgrade the infrastructure.
Speaking on his achievements in the education sector, the governor noted that his administration had spent between N10 billion and N15 billion to bring education infrastructure up to speed, adding that it is also renovating 105 primary school buildings through a World Bank grant and 100 secondary schools under the state’s 10 billion yearly intervention for education.
On tertiary institutions, Governor Makinde equally assured of continuous provision of subventions as well as carrying out of capital projects.
He assured residents of the state that his government would continue to do things in the interest of and for the benefit of the populace, saying: “Let me use this opportunity to restate our administration’s commitment to the education sector. We are not just paying lip service when we say that education is one of the four pillars of this administration.
“We are investing the required human and material resources in the sector. We are currently recruiting 7,500 primary school teachers and 100 care-givers for special needs schools as well as 7,500 secondary school teachers and 3,000 non-academic staff.
“A world-bank grant is enabling us to renovate 105 primary schools while our administration is renovating 100 secondary schools across the state as the first batch under the intervention fund of 10bn yearly, which would be included in our annual budget for education.
“When I came in, we relied solely on SUBEB towards renovating our schools and we looked at the budget. Both UBEC and the counterpart fund are between two and three billion naira in a year. So, for the last five years, we have spent between N10bn and 15bn.
“We went out to say, look, let us know precisely what we are faced with and this study was drawn about three years ago. As of that time, they told me it would require about N45bn to bridge that gap.
“Even at that time, if we kept spending at that UBEC/SUBEB level, it would take us almost 15 years and the school would still not be totally renovated. So, we thought of what we could do. Between then and now, and with the inflationary trend, we must have gotten close to about N70bn in terms of what we require. So, if we really want to bridge that gap, we can’t go on with the UBEC/SUBEB arrangement, so we need a special intervention.
“I have two more years to go and I said for this year, next year and the year after, we will invest N10bn special intervention yearly, which will amount to N30bn.”
In her remarks, wife of the late former Governor Ajimobi, Chief Mrs Florence Ajimobi, who spoke through her son, Mr Idris Ajimobi, appreciated the honour bestowed on the family and equally thanked Governor Makinde for remembering the contributions of his husband to the development of Oyo State.
She added that the family would support the university to achieve its goals.
Presenting the bill earlier, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Mohammed Fadeyi, said the bill passed through due process on the floor of the house.
In attendance at the event were the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; former Deputy Governors, Engr. Hamid Gbadamosi and Alhaji Hashim Gbolarunmi; Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima; represented by Justice A.L Akintola; and former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sumonu.
Also in attendance were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Olanike Adeyemo; Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Head of Service, Mrs Olubunmi Oni, mni, Pro-Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Professor Deji Omole and the Vice-Chancellor, Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, Professor Sola Ajayi.
Others were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state secretary, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke; ALGON chairman, Hon. Sikiru Sanda; His Royal Majesty, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, religious leaders, labour union leaders and other top government functionaries.
