Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has inaugurated a high-powered negotiation team as a decisive move to address the ongoing strike Unions at the Gombe State University which has disrupted academic activities for weeks.
The strike embarked upon by the university’s unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), has left government, students and parents concerned about the prolonged halt in academic activities.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony on Monday at the Government House, Yahaya expressed deep concern over the impact of the strike on students and the state’s education sector.
He emphasised the need for a swift resolution, stating that, “Education is a priority for this administration, and we will do everything within our powers to ensure that the students return to class. This negotiation team has my full support to explore all avenues in resolving the pressing issues.”
“While our investment in education extends beyond the university to include secondary and basic levels, we recognize the critical importance of supporting the university for its smooth operation. Since 2019, we have consistently increased the monthly subvention, ensuring the university receives over 200 million naira each month,” the governor added.
He explained that the issue of Earned Academic Allowances was an inherited challenge from the past administration, noting that in 2019, when he assumed leadership of the state, the university owed over 1.025 billion naira in allowances while emphasizing his efforts to address the backlog, citing his recent approval of over 265 million naira in benefits for the university staff.
Yahaya also emphasised that his administration’s commitment to education was a key factor in his decision to reject a proposal by some members of Gombe State University to raise students registration fees as done by other states.
He added that being aware of the challenging economic conditions and the need to make university education accessible to the people of Gombe made him to reject the proposal while noting that other universities in the country charge three times the current fees at GSU.
Yahaya used the opportunity to explain that the Endowment Fund, which he had planned to launch prior to the strike, was designed to address some of the unions’ concerns, noting that several prominent philanthropists across the country have pledged contributions to support the fund to complement the government’s efforts to enhance the university’s growth.
He appealed to the unions to recognise the economic challenges at hand, assuring them of the government’s commitment to improving the conditions of both the university and its staff.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Jatau, who is the chairman of the team, assured all stakeholders of commitment to finding a lasting solution to the industrial action.
He called for cooperation from the unions, saying, “This administration understands the importance of your demands, and we are prepared to engage in fruitful negotiations that will benefit both the staff and the university. Our goal is not only to resolve the immediate issues but also to establish a framework for long-term stability at GSU. We appeal to the unions to come to the table with an open mind so that we can reach an agreement that prioritizes the interests of our dear state.”
Members of the Manassah Jatau- led committee include the Secretary to Government of the State who will serve as Secretary, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioners of Higher Education, Local Government and Community Development, Finance & Economic Development, of Education, Budget & Economic Planning.
Others are Executive Chairperson, Gombe State Internal Revenue Services, State Auditor-General, Accountant-General of the State, Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Public Service Reforms, Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Gombe State, Deputy Chairman, ALGON and Permanent Secretary, Special Services & Political Affairs.
