By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

The Ondo State House of Assembly has pledged to work towards the development of state-owned tertiary institutions to help them achieve their mandates.

The State House of Assembly Committee on Tertiary Institutions made this statement during a visit to the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) in Okitipupa.

The Committee urged the management and staff to continue striving for optimal performance and improved academic excellence.

The Committee Chairman, Chris Ayebusiwa, representing Okitipupa Constituency 1, explained that the oversight visit was necessary to ensure both parties collaborate effectively for the institution’s advancement.

He praised the warm, productive, and progressive relationship between the committee and the school since its inception and commended the management team for steering OAUSTECH to greater heights.

The Committee requested key information regarding the university’s operations and performance, including budget performance, progress on newly completed and ongoing projects, the level of completion of each, amounts approved for each project, and the percentage of funds released.

They also inquired about abandoned projects and the reasons for their abandonment, the university’s plans for reviving such projects, staff strength (both academic and administrative), student population, and the welfare of both staff and students.

The Committee lauded Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for continuing the legacy of his predecessor and for demonstrating commendable leadership.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of OAUSTECH, Professor Temi Ologunorisa, expressed gratitude for the visit, noting that it would greatly strengthen the institution.

Prof Ologunorisa highlighted that all university programmes are fully accredited, adding that the school has expanded in terms of programmes, projects, and student population.

He explained that the university aims to align with the global “blue economy” and sought the committee’s support in overcoming challenges, particularly in funding and completing capital projects.

According to him, the institution recently received approval for a petroleum and gas engineering programme and stressed the need to facilitate the completion of the Maritime Academy at Ugbonla, which is 65% complete, to begin admitting students in 2025.

The Vice Chancellor urged the state government to establish a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy due to the state’s strategic location and plans to open a deep-sea port, noting that Ondo has the longest coastline in Nigeria and the university has the expertise to drive this vision.

He commended the current government for the timely release of subventions and the implementation of the wage award for tertiary institution staff.