I Have No Objection to MAUSTECH Establishment, Says Ogun Gov

I Have No Objection to MAUSTECH Establishment, Says Ogun Gov

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said he has no objection to the establishment of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH), as the bill sent to the state House of Assembly was to seek the return of the assets of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic to enable the institution return to its full academic session, following the protracted crisis that engulfed it.

The governor made the clarification at his office in Abeokuta yesterday when members of an Egbaland socio-economic and cultural organisation, Abeokuta Club, visited him.

He said it was unfortunate that MAUSTECH, MAPOLY (Abeokuta) and the Ogun State Polytechnic Ipokia could not commence academic activities as a result of the unresolved issues.

According to Abiodun, “Government’s intention is transparent on the issue of MAPOLY.

“We felt it was expedient and important to immediately do something meaningful so that out of the three institutions, at least one will begin to function.

“MAPOLY was never repealed, either by accident or by design, but more importantly, all the assets of the school had been invested on MAUSTECH, which was not functioning.”

The governor said the bill sent to the assembly was to seek the return of MAPOLY assets, and not to repeal the law establishing the university.

Abiodun said repealing MAUSTECH law would have amounted to pre-empting the outcomes of the committee set up by the state government to look into the establishment of the institution, and added that it was never the thinking of government to do so in that regard.

“I did not say anything about repealing the MAUSTECH because there was no such conception. So, when I began to get reactions and counter-reactions that l have cancelled the establishment of the MAUSTECH, and I wonder where it was coming from. I need to emphasise that I do not have any objection to MAUTECH.

“When the committee finishes with its assignment, we will know how to take it from there,” the governor said.

However, he said it was imperative to reopen the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, just as he stated that all stakeholders, including business owners whose sources of income has been cut off for two years, were going through a lot of hardship.

The governor, who took time to intimate the club members of his government policies and programmes, said he would focus on revamping the health, education, agriculture and infrastructure sectors, while attentions would also be given to security, employment and digitalisation of the state.

While speaking, the Chairman of MAUTECH, MAPOLY and OGUNPOLY Committee, Professor Segun Awonusi, who reeled out terms of reference of the committee, said members have started interacting with relevant stakeholders with a view to meeting the submission deadline of its recommendations.

Earlier, the past President and Trustee of the Abeokuta Club, Prof. Afolabi Soyode, expressed regret that MAPOLY has been in comatose in the past few years. He said it has affected not only the students, parents, staff and other stakeholders, but also the local economy.

He said the club was happy for the setup of the committee, but was shocked when a bill was sent to the assembly to amend the law establishing the institution.

Soyode said the club has ascertained that the purported repealing of the university was a rumour and expressed the hope that government would do the needful to get the university back on track.

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