Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has begun the construction of a 250-seater capacity Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre at the College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH), Iseyin, Oyo State.
The Chairman of the ad-hoc committee of the Iseyin community for the establishment of the college, Hon. Waheed Olaniyan, while speaking at theweekend, during the handover of land for the centre to a special team from the NCC and the contractor of the project, lauded the NCC Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande, for deeming it fit to construct the ICT centre for the new campus, stating that it was an indication that the college would be commencing academic works with ease with the ICT centre in place.
He maintained that the college has come to stay with the take-off date announced by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, as sacrosanct, noting that the people of the community and Oke-Ogun area would continue to remain grateful to the governor for establishing the college in the community as the gesture would improve the socio-economic outlook of the region.
The former lawmaker added that the planned protest today (Monday) by some people in Ogbomoso against the establishment of the college was in bad taste, as LAUTECH belongs to all the communities that make up Oyo State, and not Ogbomoso alone.
According to him, “We appreciate our amiable governor for the establishment of this campus, and the gesture has really gotten the appreciation of the people of Iseyin with their votes for his second term, we are grateful. We heard that some people are planning to protest on Monday in Ogbomoso against the take-off of the campus, this is in bad taste, the Ogbomoso people have been partners in the progress of Oyo State with us over time, why are they creating this divisive tendencies now?
“When we look at it closely, LAUTECH is a university owned by Oyo State and not Ogbomoso, every community in the state has a stake in the institution and the establishment of a college of the university in Iseyin will boost its development and help the state achieve its set goals in using education to broaden human development.”
The contractor for the construction of the ICT centre, Still Earth Holdings, represented by its Head of Business Development and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Oladipo Oshodi, assured the state that the project would be delivered within the next 12 months as mandated by the NCC, stating that the college should expect a quality job that will stand the test of time and benefit students, management of the institution and the entire community.
