The Seyi Makinde government in Oyo state has begun the move to transform Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, into a conventional, omnibus university.
A bill to make the conversion titled 2022 LAUTECH Amendment Bill, was approved Tuesday and will be sent to the Oyo State House of Assembly.
The Bill seeks to amend the objectives of the university to accommodate other fields of study and alter its present status as a strictly technology institution.
It will also allow it to make provision for workers’ pension scheme.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said the bill was approved at the Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, said the LAUTECH Amendment Bill, when passed into law, will enable the institution to offer courses in different fields of studies outside the field of technology.
It will also allow the establishment of more courses in Humanities, Law and other fields of studies.
He maintained that the amendment will also correct an omission by allowing the university to make provision for the establishment of a pension scheme for its staff, adding that the pension scheme is regulated now in line with state policy on pension.
“In essence, this is what has been done to the LAUTECH amendment law and, specifically, the university is to be addressed as Ladoke Akintola University, aka, LAU.
“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.”
Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, maintained that Governor Seyi Makinde, upon deliberations in the Exco, came up with the acronym L.A.U. for the university.
Thus once the house passes the bill and the governor assents, LAUTECH will be addressed as L.A.U.