Gombe State Government Approves N682 Million to Resolve ASUU Strike and Restore Academic Activities at Gombe State University

Gombe State Government is taking significant steps to restore academic activities at Gombe State University (GSU), following its approval of a N682 million fund aimed at addressing the demands of the striking workers. This move comes as the university's chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on an indefinite strike for over four weeks, protesting the non-fulfillment of various entitlements that have been pending for several years.

The strike action led to the participation of other staff categories at GSU, resulting in a complete halt of operations and a crisis within the institution. The situation has garnered widespread condemnation, with calls for the government to intervene and facilitate the resumption of academic activities, thereby preventing further decline in the tertiary education sector.

In a bid to resolve the ongoing crisis, the Gombe State Governor established a high-powered reconciliation committee, chaired by the State Deputy Governor, to swiftly address the workers' demands. After a meeting of the State's Executive Council on Thursday, Deputy Governor Manasseh Daniel Jatau, PhD, announced the approval of the N682 million fund to settle the outstanding Academic Earned Allowances (AEA) owed to the university’s academic staff.

Dr. Jatau emphasized that the approval was aimed at fulfilling the demands of the university’s unions and paving the way for an agreement that would lead to the prompt reopening of GSU. He also noted that the government had previously disbursed N265 million to clear promotion arrears for university staff, highlighting the administration's commitment to resolving the impasse with ASUU.

“With this financial commitment, the Government has allocated close to a billion naira to ensure an agreement is reached for the immediate reopening of the university,” Dr. Jatau stated, appealing for cooperation from all parties involved.