Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday assured students of the new Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUST), Ikorodu, that he would make the institution bigger and best choice in Nigeria.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who had a stop at the Ikorodu campus of the University, while on his way to the commissioning of the new plant of Kimberly-Clark Factory in Odonguyan area, also assured the students that he would work towards reducing the institution’s school fees.

Addressing the students who came out to welcome him after his helicopter landed at the school of technology car park, Governor Sanwo-Olu said he is committed to making Lagos State University of Science and Technology one of the best universities of choice in Nigeria.

He said, “Great students of Lagos State University of Science and Technology. You are now university students; it is going to work well. We’d continue to do what we’re doing to ensure that you finish well. JAMB has put your name (Lagos State University of Science and Technology) as a full university.

“We know you have a small concern about your school fees, we are going to look at it and we are going to bring it down. We are going to be building this university that would be bigger than even LASU very soon,” Governor Sanwo-Olu assured.

It would be recalled that the National Universities Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed on February 8 handed over certificates for two new Lagos universities – Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUST) to Governor Sanwo-Olu at the commission’s headquarters in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

With the issuance of clearance certificates of operation by NUC, Lagos State University of Education is now the 56th state university and 204th University in Nigeria, as well as the second University of education in Nigeria while Lagos State University of Science and Technology is 57th state university and 205th university in Nigeria.

The two universities are in addition to the existing Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, established in 1982 by the first Civilian Governor of Lagos, the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande. Lagos State now has three state-owned universities.

Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed optimism that the two newly approved state-owned universities would be reference points in academic circle in no distant time.

He said operation of the two additional universities would assist in meeting the demands and needs of the teeming youths who are craving for higher education to be future leaders and reference points not only for themselves and families but for the nation.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said converting erstwhile Lagos State Polytechnic to a University of Science and Technology will bring about innovative engineering, science invention and other innovations that are critical to the development of the country and state; adding that the conversion of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education into a University of Education is a proper and right thing to do given the demands and the present needs of students.

”While on a working visit to Ikorodu for the commissioning of the newly constructed Kimberly- Clark factory in Odogunyan, I made an unscheduled stop at the new Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUST), where I assured the teeming students of our strive towards reducing the institution’s school fees, which I’m aware has been a concern for them.

”I also informed them of our plans to build, equip and sustain LASUST such that it will be a reference point in the academic space in no time.

”We place a high value on the education and future of our youths, hence the conversion of the two state-owned universities.

”This upgrade will bring about inventions in the engineering and science fields, and also pave way for other innovations that are critical to the development of the country and state.

The addition of these two institutions to the state universities will also assist in meeting the demands and needs of the teeming youths who are craving for quality education in order to be leaders, change agents, decision makers, and reference points not only for themselves and their families, but for the Nation.”