The Ogun State House of Assembly (OGHA) Committee on Education has commended the Management of the University under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ganiyu Olatunji Olatunde for not only being prudent in the management of fund accruable to the University, but also in its budget performance especially in its revenue drive. The hint was dropped by the Committee Chairman, Hon. Ademuyiwa Adeyemi on behalf of other members, who were on his entourage, on Thursday, 5th September, 2019, while on a fact-finding visit to the University as part of its oversight function to all tertiary institutions in the State.
Receiving the team of the Honourable members and its entourage on behalf of the Management in his Office, the Vice-Chancellor who gave a brief on the evolution of the University said it came into existence in 1982 with about 500 students and few programmes in Arts, Sciences, Education, Social and Management Sciences, and Agriculture, but now with over 24,000 students to contend with spread across 70 programmes, 53 departments, 13 faculties, and three Colleges, noting that about 99 percent of the programmes had NUC accreditation. The Vice-Chancellor, who thanked the current and successive governments in the State for their show of love for the University especially, in the release of the monthly subvention, urged the honourable members to give their support to the University in the cause of giving the best university education to the citizens of Ogun State in particular and Nigeria in general.
He stated that the dream of the current University administration was to make it an institution of world class standard in line with the vision of the founding fathers, and therefore, would need the support of all and sundry in the state especially the State government. The Vice-Chancellor further noted that the University had also reached out to corporate bodies, and philanthropists, for donations in aid of the institution with positive results in the recent past. Notable among them according to the institution’s helmsman, included donation of buildings by the Federal Government through TETfund, landscaping and beautification of the university environments by corporate bodies as CSR projects, donation of multi million naira teaching-learning aids, fund for special project, and endowment fund by various Alumni bodies, Solar-powered lights on the campus by some individuals etc. He mentioned that the University could boast of one of the largest ICT buildings in Nigeria, while a new 750-seater Auditorium, and a Lecture Theatre for the Faculties of Science and Social Sciences respectively, were under construction on the Main Campus, courtesy of TETfund.
Responding, the Honourable members who reiterated that their visit was purely in fulfilment of the oversight functions of the State House of Assembly, scrutinised the 2019 budget performance of the institution and took turn to ask for explanation on some perceived grey areas of the budget reports presented by the University Management. Some of these areas according to the Committee, included the procurement process involved in the acquisition of assets for the University, construction of physical infrastructure including the Lecture Theatre, new ICT building among others, and the revenue generation potentials of the University, where they suggested that the University should as a matter of necessity look inward to expand the revenue base of the University.
Speaking further, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Hon. Ademuyiwa Adeyemi who commended the Vice-Chancellor and his Management team for their prudent management of the available resources, in spite of all odds, enjoined them not to rest on their oars. He urged them to continue to look inward as a citadel of learning where research for better ways of doing things emanates from. He emphatically appreciated the enviable efforts of the State Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR in releasing the monthly subvention regularly and promptly since the inception of his administration. He, thereafter, promised the support of the House of Assembly members to the institution whenever the need arises.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor who thanked the Honourable members of the House of Assembly for their words of encouragement implored them to keep identifying with the University. He, however, mentioned some of the efforts of the management in sustaining the University through internal means and stringent measures. Apart from cutting down expenses through market survey of items by the audit unit of the University, Prof. Olatunde said the University Management had also developed funding models for the University so as to reduce pressure on the major sources of revenue including tuition and subvention from State Government, adding that some business models had equally been identified that could be leveraged on in view of the dwindling economy of the country.
The Vice-Chancellor further recalled the recent collaboration between Swansea University in Wales, United Kingdom and Olabisi Onabanjo University for alternative funding model facilitated by the British Council for the enhancement of the University mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the surrounding industries. He also remarked that the University was equally enhancing the quality of its products with the provision of the basis for the attainment of additional core values of Education, Employability, and Entrepreneurship being supported by special Grant from British Council for further collaboration with Swansea University.
While stressing the several policy measures of the management on safety and security of lives and properties on its campuses, the University helmsman stated that the management had zero tolerance for anti-social behaviours on campus noting that several developmental efforts were already put in place to monitor and forestall unwholesome acts in the University. He said a 25 Million Naira CCTV Camera funded by a bank, had been installed in the University. According to him, “The management’s tough stance on anti-social behaviour on our campuses had been yielding results, as there was no infraction on any of the campuses in the last two years, while the town-gown relationship with the host communities had also been of great assistance in that respect”. This had equally enhanced effective measures for safety and security of lives and properties on its campuses, the Vice-Chancellor added.
In the entourage of the Chairman of the Committee were Hon. Adeyemi Adegoke, (Vice-Chairman), Hon. Oso Solomon (Member), Hon. Kemi Oduwole (Member), Hon. Fasuwa Abayomi Johnson (Member), Hon. Haruna Wahab (Member), Hon. Adeniran Ademola (Member), Mr. Ademosun James (Committee Director), Mr. Obanla James O. (Committee Clerk), Mr.Onabote O. B. (Committee Clerk), among others.
