Follow Us on Google
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilesa, Osun state, Prof Taiwo Asaolu, has said Doctors will not be involved in Japa syndrome if the wages are good and living conditions are conducive in Nigeria.
He opined that bonding Nigerian-trained medical doctors is not the solution to the exodus but the provision of a conducive environment and good living conditions.
He stated this at Ilesa, on Tuesday while speaking with our correspondent during the commissioning of a Nursing student’s hostel at the university.
Prof Asaolu said the fact that the government is subsidizing their training fee does not mean they should be bonded.
He said, “If we had increased the cost of training these people, some of them would still have paid. So, it is convenient for the government to subsidize. For you to say you want to bond them, I’m not into that. Most of them would not have left if the labor market was good. If they had paid the right wages, they wouldn’t leave. If the ease of doing business and cost of living is good, they will not leave. We just have to get it right. I’m not into bonding.
“Once the economy is Okay, many people will stay back. They should give value to the worth of the naira. It is humane for someone to gravitate towards where his lots would be bettered,” Asaolu said.
In his speech, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the governing council, Hon Gbenga Onigbogi, called for the support of security agencies to ensure the security of the lives of students in the hostel and the campus at large.
He said, “However, the issue of security and safety is quite paramount. I must therefore appreciate the presence of the top government’s security personnel in our midst today. We have deliberately invited you to this event to be part of the stakeholders that will help in the management of the Students’ Hostels right from the beginning. We need your collaboration and support in ensuring that the students’ hostels and indeed the whole campus are well-secured and safe.
“While it is our prayer not to encounter any security challenge or domestic accident, it is imperative for us to also prepare for emergencies. There is no doubt that if the entire campus and its environment are peaceful, uninterrupted academic activities shall be guaranteed,” Asaolu said.
He commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for releasing funds for the building of the hostel, assuring that the council will assist management in strengthening the security architecture of the University, through the provision of more security patrol vans, fire fighting trucks, communication gadgets, surveillance cameras, and others.
