In a bid to familiarize himself with the various units existing in the University, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ganiyu Olatunji Olatunde led the management team to on-the-spot assessment of OOU Ventures, Centre for Continuing Education and the Institute of Education on Monday, 24th July, 2017.
At OOU Ventures in Ijebu-Ode, the Management team was received by the Board of the Ventures led by Professor Olufemi Kalesanwo. The visit gave the Acting Vice-Chancellor the opportunity to assess the operations, achievements and challenges of the Ventures
The Chairman of the Board, Professor Kalesanwo outlined to the University Management the various businessarms of the Ventures which are Guest House, Bookshop, Water Factory and Hostels. Others are Transport Services, Oil Palm Plantation, Printing Press and Shops. He stated that all the arms have contributed in no small measure to increase the revenue generation of the Venture.
Professor Kalesanwo also revealed that the Ventures has all along been rendering financial assistance to the University whenever the need arises, especially, in augmenting the IGR of the University to supplement the monthly staff salaries.
He however stated that among the challenges facing the Units were, administrative bureaucracy, lack of equipment and poor remuneration for staff. He therefore called on the Acting Vice-Chancellor to come to their aid by providing the necessary equipment toincrease the production of the water factory. Professor Kalesanwo also appealed to the Vice-Chancellor on the need to embark onthe renovation of the Guest House to shore up its patronage.
In his response, Professor Olatunde commended the Chairman and members of the Board for their commitment and sense of business acumen. He promised that the University Management would give the Board the necessary support for it to improve in its drive to increase its revenue. He added that the water factory would be provided with modern equipment to ensure that it remains competitive in the market. Professor Olatunde added that the guest house would soon wear a new look by the time the University embarks on its renovation. According to him, the new look would be an added advantage in attracting more customers while the University would make sure that its visitors are lodged there. The Vice-Chancellor told the Board that a date would be fixed for further discussion on how to move the Unit forward in order to achieve its target goals.
Speaking at the University Primary Staff School, the Acting Vice-Chancellor commended the Management and its Board for the excellent performances of the school since its establishment. He said that efforts would be geared towards fulfilling some of the demands of the School, especially, its movement to its permanent site at the Main Campus of the University and the purchase of a bigger school bus for the pupils. The acting Vice-Chancellor also promised the school Management that he would look into the issue of staff welfare and emoluments in order to motivate the working staff.
At the Centre for Continuing Education in Main Campus, the Vice-Chancellor’s entourage was warmly received by the Centre’s Director, Dr. SefiuOladunjoye and his management team. The Director presented a comprehensible report about the Centre’s activities to the delight of the Acting Vice-Chancellor and his team. Dr. Oladunjoye informed the University management that plans were on the way to add more hostels to the existing ones and he, therefore, appealed to the Acting Vice-Chancellor to grant more admission quota for its PDS students aspiring to gain admission into the University regular programme.
The Vice-Chancellor was fully satisfied with the progress the Centre had made to generate morerevenuefor the University. He promised to support the Centre in the Director’s drive to make the itmore Independent in order to achieve its goals and objectives.
While at the Institute of Education, the Director of the Institute, Professor Mrs. H. T. Benedict informed the Acting Vice-Chancellor, the challenges the Institute was facing. She explained that the major challenges of the Institute could be seen in the locationof the Institute from the Faculty of Education. She listed others as absence of operational vehicle, lack of electricity and non-availability of Internet facilities to aid the Institute research oriented activities.
However, the University Vice-Chancellor, asked the Institute Director to prepare the modalities on how to relocate the Institute tothe Main Campus.
Professor Olatunde advised the Institute to intensify its operations by conducting researches, workshops and services for Ogun State Teachers in order to improve the quality of education in the state. He added that the Institute should work in synergy with the Ministry of Education to mould teachers in the state into qualitative manpower towards making the state fulfill its core mandate for sound education.
