By Chris Ochayi, Abuja
The protracted face-off between the National Universities Commission, NUC, and the management of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, OSUTECH, Okitipupa in Ondo state over non-compliance with laid down guidelines has been resolved as the institution has met the requirements set by the university regulatory body, NUC.

The face-off had led to the de-recognition of the institution by NUC.
Announcing the restoration of recognition to the school, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, said the Commission was no longer in dispute with the management of OSUTECH.

Though NUC has given OSUTECH the go ahead to kick start academic activities at the institution, nevertheless, the regulatory body advised the management to start with only 100 students in the 10 proposed courses in the first year.

Earlier, the leader of the 4 man technical committee on verification of facilities on ground at OSUTECH, Dr. Gidado Bello had intimated that the recommendations put forward for the state government by NUC have been met and the institution is now ready for take-off.

On the dispute between South East Governors and their state universities which has led to a prolonged strike action, Okojie  threatened that “any university that continues with the strike and spends up to 4 months at home, must lose that semester.

He lambasted the Lagos state University, LASU,  for its its indiscriminate citing of satellite campuses, saying they are illegal, and the NUC wanat to assess and regulate the universities but their activities make it impossible for us to monitor and regulate them”.

“These universities do not even know where these satellite campuses are. They are illegal and we need to re-orientate these individuals as it is a matter of discipline.”

According to Okojie, on the 5th of August 2010, NUC withdrew recognition of OSUTECH as there was no structure on ground.

“As we are talking now, Ondo State University of Science and Technology has made tremendous effort to put structures in place. To a very large extent, we are favourably disposed to lift the sanction.

The problem we are talking about is not salary alone, it also includes staff strength and facilities on ground. I want to also make it clear that any institution that fails accreditation by January, will cease to be recognised by federal government as well as lose out of federal government assistance”, he equally added.