The Academic Staff Union of Universities at Gombe State University has started an indefinite strike due to the state government’s failure to meet their demands.
The union is protesting over several issues, including the non-implementation of the 2021 Memorandum of Action, lack of increased funding for the university, unpaid Earned Academic Allowances, and the absence of a training program for academic staff seeking higher degrees.
During a press briefing held on Wednesday after a congress meeting, the branch Chairman, Dr. Suleiman Jauro, expressed his disappointment with the government’s lack of serious attention to the union’s efforts.
He explained that the government’s refusal to act has led to the accumulation of EAA for several academic years, including 2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019, and 2021/2022. Meanwhile, staff members continue to struggle with heavy workloads under poor working conditions.
“The members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Gombe State University branch have endured debilitating working conditions in the university for too long as a result of issues of inadequate funding, non-implementation of the content of the 2021 MoA, and refusal to implement the current salaries table for academics in Nigerian universities,” Dr. Jauro said.
He further added, “The union has sought for amicable resolution of the issues by requesting the intervention of eminent personalities in the State with no tangible outcome. The refusal of the government to honour those interventions left the union with no option but the resolution to embark on a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike action to press home its demands.”
Dr. Jauro also appealed to students and their parents or guardians to understand the union’s position and urged them to put pressure on the government to address the issues. “The union appeals to students as well as their parents/guardians to understand its constraints in this regard. We also request them to prevail on the government to do the needful,” he stated.
The strike action by the lecturers of Gombe State University is set to continue until their demands are met by the state government.
