The Gombe State Executive Council on Thursday approved N947,669,909.13 million for Gombe State University staff to solve Earned Academic Allowance and promotion arrears.
Our correspondent reports that the SEC meeting was presided by Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, on Thursday.
N265,202,570.47 was released for outstanding promotion arrears and N682,467,338 for Earned Academic Allowance.
Recall that unions including Academic Staff Union of Universities of the varsity have been on strike for more than a month over EAA, promotion arrears and other infractions.
Addressing journalists shortly after the exco meeting, Deputy Governor Dr Manassah Jatau, who doubles as Chairman negotiation committee, said the approval would soften the ground for the unions to resume work.
He said, “Government has deliberated on their issues particularly on a nutty complex issue that they call Earned Academic Allowance only those in the university will understand, they have issue promotion which is a common thing Council met several times and based on my absence approvals were not granted that time because I was not around to present my memo.
“The memo has been presented in fact the state government paid N265,202,570.47 million to staff in Gombe State University as outstanding promotion arrears, by implication the state is not owing any staff of the university any promotion arrears. On Earned Academic Allowance government sat to approve N682,467,338 million totalling N947,669,909.13 million which government spent on the employees of the university to ensure that their work is not hampered.”
While urging them to work assidiously to justify government huge investments, adding “I’m sure with the payment of the minimum wage to all staff and the money paid to the University, I’m proud to say that the workers have got their wages they should do their work to justify the expenditure.”
