Makinde approves minimum wage arrears, inaugurates LAUTECH Teaching Hospital board

By Adejayan Gbenga –

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved the payment of minimum wage arrears and other outstanding entitlements owed to workers of the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso. The announcement was made on Monday during the inauguration of the hospital’s new governing board at the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan.

Makinde disclosed that the approval fulfilled a promise he made during his visit to the institution on September 30, 2024. According to him, the delay in settling the arrears was caused strictly by administrative procedures, not by neglect or lack of commitment.

The governor noted that the payment would boost morale among health workers, adding that staff welfare remains a major cornerstone of his administration’s approach to strengthening the state’s health sector. He stated that a motivated workforce is critical to achieving efficiency and improved service delivery.

While inaugurating the governing board, Makinde tasked its members with repositioning the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital for greater performance. He issued a specific directive for the revival of the hospital’s Oyo annex, which he said must become fully functional within the next 12 months.

Makinde also addressed recent concerns raised by LAUTECH lecturers regarding a potential strike, assuring that the issues are already being handled. He stressed that industrial action was unnecessary since the government was actively engaging stakeholders to resolve all pending matters.

Chairman of the newly inaugurated board, Prof. Banji Oyelaran, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in the team. He said the approval of outstanding arrears had already lifted staff morale and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to stability within the institution.

Oyelaran revealed that the board has developed a strategic reform plan for the teaching hospital. The plan includes refurbishing critical units, upgrading outdated equipment, and establishing a digital medical records system aimed at modernising operations across the facility.

In a separate announcement during the ceremony, Makinde confirmed that Oyo State workers would again receive a 13th-month salary in December 2025, continuing a tradition his administration introduced in 2019.