By Solomon Odeniyi
A stalwartof the Peoples Democratic Party in the State of Osun, Funmiso Babarinde has advocated that the N8bn pay-off by the Oyo State Government to the state on the dissolution of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology joint ownership be spent on improving facilities in the Osun State University.
Specifically, Babarinde said the money should be committed to building a College of Medicine and improving the Teaching Hospital for the state university that is of global standard.
Oyo had last week approved the payment of N8bn to Osun, as part of agreements reached for its (Oyo’s) sole ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho.
The money, according to the Oyo Government, is to be paid in four installments, over a period of three years.
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.
Babarinde also warned against diversion of the money, adding that the interest of residents is on how the money is spent.
He said: “The 8bn pay-off should not be diverted. Every resident’s interest is on what the Oyetola administration does with the money. I would rather advise that the money be committed to improving the facilities in the only state-owned university, specifically, the money be use to give the university a medical college of global standard with modern equipment. This remains the only justifiable way the money can be spent.”
