‘We’ve never defaulted on payment of LAUTECH workers’ — Osun SSG replies Makinde

The Osun state government says it has never defaulted in paying the salaries of workers of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.

The university is co-owned by Oyo and Osun states.

Speaking during a media chat on his first 100 days in office, Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, had said his state would have to pay off the salary owed to workers of the university by Osun.

But in a statement on Tuesday, Wole Oyebamiji, secretary to Osun state government, described Makinde’s comment as “a product of misinformation”.

Oyebamiji said Osun has always been alive to its responsibility with regard to its obligations to LAUTECH “despite the obvious lopsidedness in the distribution of infrastructure between the two owner states”.

“In 2017 alone, while Oyo contributed N717,888,795.00, Osun contributed N1, 292,000,000.00. In 2018, Oyo contributed N443,865,554.00; Osun contributed N500,000,000,” he said.

“In addition to contributing regularly to LAUTECH in Ogbomoso, as indicated above, Osun State alone has been responsible for paying the salaries of workers at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, from 2013 till date, amounting to N16,369,953,830.48.

“For instance, from January to June this year, while Oyo had paid about N1.1 billion to the university, Osun on the other hand had paid about N1.7 billion from January to July this year to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital. This is in addition to the N300 million it released to the university in July.

“Effectively, what this implies is that while Osun had cumulatively spent about N2 billion on the institution from January till date, Oyo had only spent a little over N1 billion.

“From the foregoing, who has defaulted? Rather than attempt to vilify our government, we should be commended. The university is a joint responsibility. Whatever decision that needs to be taken on its future must be mutually agreed upon.

“Again, for emphasis, we are committed to the joint ownership of LAUTECH and we will never shy away from our responsibilities, just as we will never sacrifice the future of the students of the university on the altar of partisan politics.”