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Fashola Restates Commitment To Education, Charges LASU On Research

Nov 4, 2008 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Tuesday restated the commitment of his administration to human resource development in the State saying the alternative to education was too dangerous to contemplate.

Fashola who spoke at the Lagos House Ikeja while receiving members of the Governing Council of the Lagos State University (LASU) also said his administration was committed to making the University a first among equals in the African Continent.

The Governor also challenged the University to take the lead in research especially in the area of finding cure for diseases such as Malaria by which the nation has created economic benefits for developed countries.

Bemoaning the high rate of illiteracy in the country, Governor Fashola declared, “The danger inherent in an illiterate population is unquantifiable” pointing out that it was only in such illiterate society that people think of indulging in ritual murders to make money.

Emphasizing that no cost was too much for education, the Governor further declared, “If we take it from the point of view of human life, nothing is too much to preserve life” adding that on the part of the State Government, the greatest investment it would make for the State was in Education.

The Governor said such investment aside from the developmental and social benefits, was also necessary “in order to prepare those who will takeover from and look after us when we are old and infirm”.

Drawing example from enlightened societies like the United States of America where a Presidential election was going on, Governor Fashola said, “knowing the enormous human capacity we have here, it is not a bridge too much for us to cross”, adding that what confronts our country now was commitment to human resource development.

“I asked some of my colleagues sometime ago how many of them can send their children, without hesitation, to their alma mater. I believe not many”, the Governor said adding that this was because some of those hitherto famous institutions have fallen far below the standard.” We have left so many things undone” he lamented.

Challenging the university to take the lead in research Governor Fashola declared, “I have challenged some of my colleagues to put on their thinking caps so that we can find cure to malaria. I do not believe that solution to malaria lies in net. But because it is a problem of this part of the world it has created an economic opportunity in another part of the world to produce and manufacture nets. I think if we face the challenge seriously, provide research capacity, funding and facilities we will find a cure”, the Governor said.

He lamented that as the world is being ravaged by AIDS and HIV, the nation continues to lose more children and people on daily basis to malaria. “These are some of the things I will like to see LASU leading, showing the way and challenging other Universities to respond. Our power needs and infrastructural needs must be home grown. In all the places where we refer to as best practices they evolve through investment in education”, the Governor said.

He said his administration was committed to its promise to develop the law faculty of LASU and the medical school adding however, that whatever infrastructural renewal plan his administration has for the faculties would also be extended to the main campus of the institution.

“The critical component of infrastructural development is planning” Governor Fashola said, pledging that as soon as such a plan was articulated by the university authorities his government would include the cost in its annual budget.

On the Beautification of the frontage of the Institution the Governor promised that the State Government would assist the institution in the project adding, “My dream for LASU is that it stands out as first among equals in this continent”.

He said the law requiring the Local Governments to contribute two percent of their revenue to education may have to go for further reflection, adding that there was need to re-examine it in terms of its fairness to the Local Government.

“The Law should go for further reflection to see whether or not it is fair to saddle the Local Governments with such responsibility given their resources and the responsibilities they already have as grass-roots government”, Fashola said, adding that it may be necessary to look for “less exerting” ways of raising fund for the University.

The Governor expressed gratitude to the Governing Council for the “sterling work” they have been doing since their appointment into the managerial unit of the institution and declared, “Pleasant times have fallen on the university since you started to serve”.

He was particularly thankful to the Council members for contributing not only their managerial capabilities but also making financial and infrastructural contributions to the University.

Governor Fashola also commended the Students community for co-operating with the authorities saying without their cooperation, the job of restoring peace and recreating an academic environment suitable for learning would have been an uphill task.

Earlier in his submission, chairman of the Council, Mr. Akin Kekere Ekun (OFR) told the Governor that the visit was to report to him the things the Council had been able to achieve since it was established on October 26, 2004.

According to him, the Council has been able to bring sanity into methods of admission into the institution pointing out that 90 percent of admissions into the University were now based on merits.

The chairman pleaded with the State Government to assist in the completion of the Law Library of the University which, according to him is a condition for the accreditation of the Law Faculty of the institution.

He said the Council has saved N526 million out of a N1 billion grant given the institution in 2006 by the immediate past Governor of the State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the Council would add it to whatever it would receive from government to complete the Law Library.

He also asked the State Government to increase its subvention to the institution saying this has become necessary because of the increase in the staff of the University.

Other request made to the Governor by the Council included, approval for the use of the two ambulances released to the institution, actualization of the constitutional provision tasking Local Governments to donate two percent of their income to education, beautification of the frontage of the University and infrastructural renewal of the medical school.

Present at the occasion were the Deputy Governor, Princess Adebisi Sosan, Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Mr. Jide Sanwoolu, Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Femi Hamzat, Special Adviser on Education Dr. Olu Adewale, Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Professor Akanni Huzain, Registrar LASU, Mr. Oluwatoyin Oshun, Dr. Toyin Philips and Professor Olatunji Bello among others.