Gombe, August 30, 2024 — Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Gombe State University (GSU) branch, to reconsider its planned strike action. Governor Yahaya’s appeal was made through his representative, Secretary to the Government of the State Professor Ibrahim Njodi, during a visit by the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) panel to the Gombe State Government House on Thursday.
The governor has pledged that the state government will address the union’s financial demands, including Earned Academic Allowances and other entitlements, with a sum of N947,669,909.13. The funds are intended to cover various academic and administrative expenses, such as excess workload payments, responsibility allowances, postgraduate study grants, and outstanding promotion arrears for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Governor Yahaya assured that the State Executive Council would meet by Monday to approve these allocations, emphasizing that the strike issue would be a priority in the discussions. He encouraged the union to exercise patience until then, suggesting that an immediate strike would not resolve the underlying issues.
“In the meeting scheduled for Monday, we will address the Earned Academic Allowances and other related concerns. If by then no significant progress is made, the union can proceed with its plans,” Yahaya stated.
Professor Daniel Gongula, who led the NEC delegation, acknowledged the governor’s commitment to education and emphasized the importance of timely fulfillment of government promises. Gongula highlighted that other states had implemented minimum wage adjustments without waiting for national guidelines, and he urged the Gombe State government to act promptly.
Gongula noted, “We will submit our findings to ASUU principal officers. It is crucial that we are convinced of the government’s commitment.”
The call for a strike by the ASUU GSU branch remains on hold pending the state government’s action by Monday. The outcome of the State Executive Council meeting will be critical in determining whether the planned strike will proceed.
