Four years after the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) secured presidential approval to establish a College of Medicine and a teaching hospital, the plan has taken a major leap forward. The Ondo State Government has officially ceded the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital complex in Akure to the federal institution to serve as its primary medical training facility.
The Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, announced the development on Friday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.
Ajaka explained that the handover involves the full transfer of infrastructure, equipment, and liabilities, with staff members to be absorbed under the FUTA Teaching Hospital managed by the Federal Government.
He stressed that the decision was designed to both strengthen healthcare delivery in Ondo State and position FUTA as a leading hub for medical sciences education and research in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Leye Akinola, said the council approved new measures to shield farmers from the impact of the European Union Deforestation Regulation, which prohibits imports from crops grown on deforested land.
He disclosed that agroforestry practices would be introduced across selected forests, with strict mapping and traceability systems for cash crops like cocoa, cashew, oil palm, and rubber.
“By December 30, 2025, any crop that cannot be traced to a mapped farm risks being rejected in the EU market. “The state will therefore support farmers with mapping and permits to secure their livelihoods”, Akinola warned.
The council also approved a review of tariffs in the agricultural and timber value chains, aligning Ondo’s policies with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission framework.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, revealed that each cabinet member has been tasked with nominating a road project in their local government area. The initiative, he said, is separate from the 2025 budget and aims to directly touch communities through supplementary interventions.
“These roads are not for private or partisan interests but to ensure equitable development across all 18 local government areas of Ondo State,” Ajanaku emphasised.
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