Gombe University Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike

The Gombe State University (GSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared an indefinite strike over the failure of the Gombe State Government to meet their demands.

This marks the first internal strike in the university’s history since its establishment. During a press conference at the university, ASUU Chapter Chairman, Suleiman Salihu Jauro, and Secretary, Mustapha Shehu, explained that the strike resulted from the government’s non-implementation of the 2021 Memorandum of Action (MOA) agreed upon with the union. The MOA had called for increased funding for the university.

Key issues cited by the union include the non-payment of accumulated earned academic allowances, failure to institutionalize a training fund for academic staff pursuing higher degrees, non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage adjustment, and the lack of a 35% and 25% wage award for academic staff. Other grievances include unpaid promotion arrears from 2020 to 2023 and the non-release of the 2023 visitation panel’s white paper.

The union clarified that the state government had initially agreed to provide an additional N10 million monthly subvention to help the university function effectively. However, the government only disbursed the funds in January and February of 2021, leaving the institution financially strained. This led to the introduction of departmental fees, increasing the financial burden on students.

“ASUU members at GSU have tolerated poor working conditions for too long, resulting from underfunding and non-implementation of the 2021 MOA. The union has sought peaceful resolutions through the intervention of prominent figures in the state, but no significant progress has been made,” they said.