JALINGO — The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University (TSU) chapter, has issued a stern warning to the state government, threatening to resume its previously suspended strike over what it described as a “deliberate breach” of a binding agreement signed earlier this year.
At a press conference held in Jalingo on Tuesday, ASUU-TSU Chairman, Dr. Joshua Mbave Garba, accused Governor Agbu Kefas’ administration of failing to honour the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with the union on January 17, 2025 — a pact that led to the suspension of the union’s industrial action in February.
Key among the commitments in the MoA was the monthly release of ₦50 million from February 2025 for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). But Dr. Mbave revealed that not a single payment has been made to date.
“Despite enduring extreme hardship, showing commendable restraint, and maintaining our dedication to academic progress, our patience has been repeatedly tested,” he said. “This continued breach of trust is a deliberate provocation that threatens the industrial peace we have sustained.”
The union also raised alarm over what it termed the chronic underfunding of the university — a situation it described as a violation of the institution’s enabling law. In addition, ASUU accused the government of reneging on its pledge to establish a functional pension scheme for academic staff, saying what has been offered so far amounts to “bureaucratic formalities and empty promises.”
The union expressed further dismay at the state government’s failure to convene a stakeholders’ meeting in early February, which was meant to develop a roadmap for clearing outstanding salary arrears. A two-week ultimatum issued by ASUU, which expired on July 31, was reportedly met with silence from the government.
“This silence is deafening and unacceptable,” Dr. Mbave said. “It sends a dangerous signal that agreements with ASUU are not binding and that the academic workforce is disposable.”
Following an emergency congress, the union resolved to resume its suspended strike should the government continue to ignore the outstanding issues.
While acknowledging Governor Kefas’ strides in promoting access to education, particularly through his administration’s free education policy, ASUU insisted that staff welfare cannot be sidelined.
“We are not saboteurs or enemies of progress. We are nation builders and custodians of knowledge,” Dr. Mbave stated. “But we cannot continue to function in an environment where our welfare is neglected, our rights trampled upon, and our voices ignored.”
The union’s ultimatum sets the stage for renewed tension in the state’s education sector if urgent steps are not taken by the government to address the impasse.
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