By Jelili Gbadamosi
Academic activities at Taraba State University may be disrupted following the declaration of an indefinite strike by the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over unpaid salary arrears and the delayed implementation of an agreed remuneration package.
The union announced the commencement of the industrial action on Monday, October 12, 2026, accusing the Taraba State Government of failing to fulfil its commitments to university workers despite months of negotiations.
ASUU-TSU Chairman, Dr Joshua Garba Mbave, announced the decision in a statement, saying the union’s patience and efforts to resolve the dispute through dialogue had not produced the desired results.
The union is demanding the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU remuneration agreement at the institution and the payment of outstanding salary arrears from January 2026 to date.
Mbave explained that the union began engaging the state government over the issues in February 2026, demonstrating its willingness to reach an amicable resolution and preserve industrial harmony.
According to him, the negotiations led to the establishment of a verification committee tasked with examining the existing salary structure and assessing the implementation of the remuneration agreement across the North-East region.
The committee completed its assignment and submitted its report on September 24, 2026.
The chairman added that the union had previously suspended plans for industrial action following an appeal by the government, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, for more time to address the outstanding issues.
However, he said the continued delay in implementing the agreement, despite the completion of the verification exercise and related processes, compelled the union to resume its planned action.
ASUU-TSU maintained that the strike was not a rejection of dialogue, stressing that it remained willing to engage the state government and other relevant stakeholders in meaningful negotiations.
The union, however, insisted that any further discussions must be conducted in good faith, within a reasonable timeframe and with a clear commitment to resolving the dispute.
It called on the Taraba State Government to implement the agreed remuneration structure and settle all outstanding salary arrears without further delay.
The union also appealed to members of the public to understand its position, arguing that the demands were intended to promote fairness, protect the dignity of university workers and ensure compliance with agreements reached between the parties.
