Abimbola Abatta
The government of Osun State has assured students of tertiary institutions in the state that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s admin will continue its huge investment in education to secure a prosperous future for the state.
The government said the welfare of students in tertiary institutions has been the top priority of Governor Oyetola in the last Three and half years with the strong conviction that the best investment to reduce poverty and crime is quality education.
Osun Commissioner for Education, Hon Oladoyin Bamisayemi said this during a meeting with Students’ Union leaders and Chairmen of Governing Council of all the state owned tertiary institutions held at Osun State College of Education, Ilesa.
The meeting was convened at the instance of the student union leadership under the auspices of National Association of Nigeria Students’ /Joint Campus Committee (NANS/JCC) Osun Axis to discuss infrastructural development and welfare issues in the state owned tertiary institutions.
According to the Commissioner, Governor Oyetola has doused tension by sustaining industrial harmony in all the state owned tertiary institutions with the regular payment of salary of lecturers and other interventions to discourage avoidable industrial disputes that usually extend student year of graduation.
He said, “Governor Oyetola is committed to educational development at all levels and he will not relent in his efforts to ensure qualitative education in our tertiary institutions, you will all agree with me that the Governor has stabilised accadamic calenders in tertiary institutions with the regular payment of salary and removal of embargo on promotion among others.
“In the last Three and Half Years, despite the economic reality and pressure to increase tution fees, Mr Governor has refused to grant such approval, he recently paid Bursary to the indigent students and also facilitated mobility for the leadership of the students’ union in our tertiary institutions. Despite the paucity of fund, I can assure you that the Governor will not spare any effort at improving tertiary education in state.”
Bamisayemi also assured the students that the issue of road repair as raised by the students will be looked into within seven working days and announced that a committee to include student representative would be set up to kick start and monitor the process.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the NANS/JCC Osun Axis, Comrade Oyelayo Afeez appreciated the Governor for several interventions in the various institutions and urged the government to consider the repair of some roads in the state owned tertiary institutions.
He said some of the roads on the campuses require urgent government attention to ensure ease of vehicular movement which necessitated the earlier proposed protest and appreciated the representatives of the state government for their timely intervention on the issue and announced that the association has suspended the proposed protest.
Other government representatives at the meeting include Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr Oluremi Omowaiye, Chairmen Governing Councils, Osun College of Education, Ilesa Elder Kunle Odeyemi, Osun College of Technology, Esa Oke, Hon Akintunde Adegboyega, Osun College of Education, Ila, Dr Owolabi George Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji and all the Heads of state owned tertiary institutions, among others.