ASUU Strike
The Gombe State University (GSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared an indefinite strike in response to the state government’s failure to address several long-standing issues.
This is the first internal strike in the university’s history
Speaking at a press conference held at the university yesterday, ASUU GSU chairman, Suleiman Salihu Jauro, and secretary, Mustapha M. Shehu, explained that their decision was mainly driven by the non-implementation of the 2021 Memorandum of Action (MOA), which promised increased funding for the university.
The lecturers also cited the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances, the absence of a training fund for staff pursuing higher degrees, and the state government’s failure to adjust the minimum wage to ₦30,000 as agreed. They also expressed frustration over the lack of wage awards of 35% and 25% for academic staff.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that additionally, they raised concerns about unpaid promotion arrears for the years 2020 to 2023, and the lack of a white paper from the 2023 visitation panel, which was expected to outline the university’s future direction.
The union leaders further explained that an agreement had been made with the state government to increase the university’s monthly subvention by ₦10 million to boost operations. However, they expressed disappointment that this additional funding was only provided in January and February 2021, and has since stopped.
ASUU Strike
They stressed that the ongoing financial shortfall has left the university struggling to meet its obligations, forcing the introduction of departmental fees, which have added to students’ financial burden.
“The members of ASUU, Gombe State University branch, have endured poor working conditions for far too long due to issues like inadequate funding, the non-implementation of the 2021 MOA, and the refusal to apply the current salary structure for academics in Nigerian universities,” they said.
The lecturers also noted that despite their efforts to resolve the issues through mediation, no progress has been made.
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