APC sympathises with Taraba varsity students, mock gov Ishaku over failure to pay lecturers
By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Taraba State chapter on Tuesday sympathised with students of Taraba State University Jalingo over the cancellation of their semester examination by the lecturers following non payment of their salaries for ten months.
The party through Bwacha Gubernatorial Campaign Council (BGCC), also mocked governor Darius Ishaku, over his inability to pay lecturers for ten months.
Our Correspondent reports that, students of the institution on Monday staged a heavy protest over the refusal of their lecturers to commence examination due their ten months consecutive outstanding salaries.
But the BGCC through its Director of Media and Publicity Mr. Aaron Artimas in a press statement, sympathised with students of the institution and call on the state government to consider the importance of education to the social and economic development, and prioritize education as the only way to securing the future of the younger ones and ensuring stability in the state.
The statement read, “Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital, woke up today, 9th December 2023, to a very
irritating and distressing protest by students of the Taraba State University TSU, following the postponement of their examinations.
“According to information, the Students took to the major highways protesting the cancellation of their examinations as a result of the strike action embarked upon by the academic staff Union of University in protest of the failure by the state government to Settle a backlog of their salaries and allowances.
“Although this is not unusual under the Darius administration, the Bwacha Gubernatorial Campaign Council (BGCC), strongly condemns this negatively recurring decimal, which continues to portray the state in bad light and frustrate the future of our youth.
“We are particularly worried about the immediate safety of our youth following the escalation of the protest, resulting in the deployment of soldiers and anti-riot police to disperse the students.
It is highly regrettable that the Taraba State government has constantly demonstrated its inability to manage the State University, resulting in a vious Circle of protests, shutdowns, and unstable academic calendars. This unfortunate saga has a serious
negative impact on the dwindling fortune of the university as one of the best state owned tertiary institutions in the country.
“While we appeal to the students to exercise restraints in expressing their grievance on the postponement of their examinations, the state government should immediately pay the lecturers their entitlements to save this ugly situation.
“Considering the importance of education to our social and economic development, the government must prioritize education as the only way of securing the future of Our children and ensuring stability in the state” It’s read.
