Rita Odafe
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Gombe State has initiated an ongoing strike due to the state government’s failure to address their concerns.
This strike represents the first of its kind since the university was established.
At a press briefing yesterday, the chapter president, Suleiman Salihu Jauro, and secretary, Mustapha M. Shehu, explained that the primary cause of their action is the lack of implementation of the 2021 Memorandum of Action (MOA) that was intended to boost university funding.
Other issues raised include unpaid Earned Academic Allowances, insufficient training funds for academic staff seeking higher degrees, and the state government’s inaction regarding a wage adjustment to ₦30,000 as well as unfulfilled wage increase promises of 35% and 25% for faculty members.
They also pointed out the absence of payment for promotional increases covering 2020 through 2023, and the lack of a follow-up report from the 2023 university visitation.
The representatives stressed that an agreement was made for the state to augment the university’s monthly funding by ₦10 million to support its operations, but expressed disappointment that this extra funding was only provided in January and February of 2021.
They noted that continuous inadequate funding by the state significantly hampers the university’s financial obligations, which has unfortunately resulted in extra departmental fees that are burdensome for students.
“The members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Gombe State University have been enduring challenging working conditions due to insufficient funding, unmet commitments from the 2021 MOA, and the unwillingness to implement the latest salary scale for academic staff in Nigeria.”
“Efforts have been made to resolve these issues amicably, including seeking assistance from influential individuals in the state, but without any significant results,” the university lecturers remarked.
