The governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, has approved a major increase in the subvention to all state- owned higher institutions.
This, according to a statement signed and issued today in Ado-Ekiti, the Èkiti State capital, by his Special Adviser (Media), Olayinka Oyebode, was being done in recognition of the role played by these higher institutions in the state’s development, and in fulfilment of the governor’s promise to prioritise higher education and ensure that the state maintained its pride of place as the education capital of Nigeria.
With this increase, the higher institutions now have their subventions increased as follows:
- Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH): From N261 million to N411 million.
- Ekiti State University (EKSU): From N260 million to N410 million.
- Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere – Ekiti (BOUESTI): From N175.8 million to N275.8 million
- Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan: From N45 million to N95 million
- Ekiti State College of Health Science and Technology, Ijero: From N26 million to N76 million.
With these increases, the total subvention to higher institutions in the state has increased from N767.8 million per month to N1.27 billion.
Since his inauguration, the statement added, Governor Oyebanji had also approved the payment of one month of outstanding subvention to all tertiary institutions which had since been effected.
The special adviser stated that Oyebanjo had also directed that the Independent Power Plant (IPP) be extended to both EKSU and EKSUTH, ensuring both institutions have 24-hour power supply.
These financial, infrastructural and governance interventions, Oyebode explained, were part of strategic efforts by the government to ensure state higher institutions were best in class, and deliver the type of education required to prepare the young people for opportunities in the 21st century.
