ASUU North-East backs Taraba varsity strike, urges Kefas to implement agreement

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, across the North-East geopolitical zone has thrown its weight behind the ongoing industrial action by lecturers of Taraba State University, TSU, Jalingo.

The lecturers are demanding the immediate implementation of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU agreement and payment of all outstanding arrears.

The union leadership, which visited the university premises on Tuesday, accused the Taraba State government of failing to honour the agreed remuneration framework, describing the development as a breach of legitimate agreements and disregard for the welfare and entitlements of academic staff.

Led by the ASUU Yola Zone Coordinator, Comrade Dani Mamman, the delegation urged Governor Agbu Kefas to urgently implement the 2025 agreement for TSU academic staff, stressing that the government must take decisive steps to address the concerns of the striking lecturers.

The union leaders expressed disappointment over what they described as the lukewarm attitude of the Taraba State government towards the plight of university lecturers, particularly when other state governments across the North-East had implemented the agreement.

The ASUU Yola Zone, which comprises seven public university branches across Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe states, maintained that the grievances of the TSU branch were legitimate and required immediate government intervention.

According to the union, "A fact-finding team constituted by the Taraba State Government had established that the universities visited had fully implemented the 2025 FGN/ASUU agreement."

The report, which was presented to the union on September 24, 2026, followed a verification exercise that commenced in August.

However, the ASUU leadership expressed concern that despite the conclusion of the verification exercise, the state government was allegedly continuing with salary computations, a development they described as an unnecessary administrative delay.

The union also questioned the government's reported consideration of three different implementation scenarios of 95 per cent, 98 per cent and 100 per cent, insisting that the verification and financial assessment processes had already been concluded.

"The remuneration framework must be implemented strictly in accordance with the payment template contained in the December 23, 2025 FGN/ASUU agreement, which was circulated by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission on December 30, 2025," ASUU maintained.

The agreement provides for several remuneration components, including Basic CONUASS, Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, Professorial Allowance, Earned Academic Allowances and responsibility allowances for designated academic and administrative positions.

The union further observed that Taraba State University remained one of the very few universities, and possibly the only institution within the 19 northern states, yet to implement the agreed remuneration framework.

"The continued delay could negatively affect staff retention, institutional competitiveness and the university's ability to attract and retain qualified academic personnel, with possible consequences for academic standards and institutional stability," the union warned.

While calling on the Taraba State government to immediately and fully implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU agreement at the university without subjecting the process to further consultations, committees or verification exercises, the union also demanded the immediate payment of all accumulated arrears in line with the financial computation submitted by the tripartite committee, strict adherence to the agreed payment template and meaningful engagement with ASUU-TSU to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute.

Reaffirming its solidarity with the striking lecturers, the union noted that academic staff had demonstrated considerable patience through sustained engagements, constructive dialogue and other efforts to resolve the disagreement before embarking on the strike.

"Industrial harmony was a collective responsibility and urged the Taraba State Government to recognise that the patience of academic staff had limits," union stressed.

It also appealed to stakeholders, members of the university community and the general public to prevail on the state government to honour the agreement, settle the outstanding entitlements and bring the industrial dispute to a timely and amicable conclusion.

ASUU North-East backs Taraba varsity strike, urges Kefas to implement agreement