The Academic Staff Union of Universities at Taraba State University has embarked on an indefinite strike, disrupting all academic activities, including ongoing second-semester examinations.
The decision, announced on Thursday after a congress meeting in Jalingo, stems from unresolved issues with the state government and university management, according to the chapter’s chairperson, Dr. Garba Mbave.
Key grievances highlighted by the union include unpaid salaries, the non-establishment of a functional pension scheme, lingering salary arrears from the 2022 nationwide ASUU strike, and the lack of a governing council for the institution.
Other demands involve the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances, failure to implement the national minimum wage for university staff, and the refusal to approve a 35% salary increase for professors alongside proportional adjustments for other academic staff.
“We have exhausted every possible avenue for dialogue with the university management and the state government,” Dr. Mbave told journalists. “The persistent neglect of our welfare leaves us no choice but to take this action. We cannot continue to work under these deplorable conditions.”
The absence of a governing council, Dr. Mbave noted, remains a significant impediment to resolving critical administrative and policy matters.
While expressing regret over the disruption caused by the strike, particularly to students undergoing examinations, he emphasized the necessity of the action. “It is not our desire to disrupt exams or inconvenience students, but this is our only viable option to demand justice for our members,” he said.
Students affected by the strike have voiced their frustration, urging the state government and university management to address the union’s demands urgently.
