Oyo moves to rename LAUTECH

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, has commenced the process of renaming the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

The governor gave his approval to a bill seeking to facilitate the renaming of the institution to Ladoke Akintola University (LAU) during the state executive meeting held on Tuesday.

In a statement, Taiwo Adisa, the governor’s spokesman, said Oyelowo Oyewo, the state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, announced the development while briefing journalists.

According to Oyewo, the bill titled ‘2022 LAUTECH Amendment Bill’ is expected to be forwarded to the state house of assembly for further deliberation and passage.

The commissioner said when passed into law, the bill will enable the institution to offer courses in different fields of studies outside technology.

He added that the proposed bill will also empower the institution to establish a pension scheme for its staff.

“We have a bill that has been proposed and approved by Exco, for onward transmission to the Oyo State House of Assembly, to amend the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso Law, to reflect the proposed change in the current status of the institution from a technical university to a conventional one,” he said.

“This is to enable the institution to offer courses in Humanities, Law and other fields for qualified candidates, as approved by National Universities Commission, NUC.

“So, the bill, in essence, seeks to amend the name of the university to Ladoke Akintola University (LAU) instead of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

“It is also to amend the objectives of the university to accommodate other fields of study and alter its present status as a strictly technical university to a regular university, which will translate to having more campuses in humanities to carry some courses like Social Sciences, Law, Management, Education and other fields of studies in art and humanities.

“The bill is also to encourage and promote scholarship and conduct of research in all fields of learning and human endeavours and also to correct an omission by allowing the university to make provision for the establishment of pension scheme for its staff; as you are all aware that the pension is regulated now by law consistent with state policy on pension.

“The university will also establish a pension scheme which will be the contributory pension scheme, which will eventually be under the pension reform law.

“The law will be Ladoke Akintola University Amendment Law 2022 and that is what has been approved by Exco to be communicated to the Oyo State House of Assembly for debate, processing and passing.”