By Terna Chikpa
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Yola Zone, has accused the Taraba State Government of failing to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, describing the state as the only one among the 19 northern states yet to comply with the agreement.
The Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Dani Mamman, made the allegation on Tuesday during a press conference in Jalingo, where he said the relevant verification, consultation, negotiation and financial computation processes had been concluded, but the state government remained unresponsive.
The union described Governor Agbu Kefas’s handling of the matter as embarrassing and a grave breach of the legitimate expectations of academic staff, as well as a regrettable disregard for established agreements and institutional commitments.
It also said the persistent failure to implement the agreed remuneration framework amounted to an affront to the North-East states.
ASUU Yola Zone expressed solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Taraba State University Branch (ASUU-TSU), over its ongoing strike, which was triggered by the government’s failure to implement the remuneration framework arising from the 2025 agreement.
“The Yola Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities hereby expresses its unequivocal solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Taraba State University Branch (ASUU-TSU), in its ongoing strike arising from the persistent failure of the Taraba State Government to implement the agreed remuneration framework consequent upon the 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria/ASUU Agreement.
“The Yola Zone views the continued non-implementation of the agreed remuneration framework, notwithstanding the conclusion of the relevant verification, consultation, negotiation and financial computation processes, as a grave breach of the legitimate expectations of academic staff and regrettable demonstration of government’s disregard for established agreements and institutional commitments,” the statement said.
The union called on the state government to immediately and fully implement the agreed remuneration framework without further consultations, committees or verification exercises.
It also demanded the immediate payment of all accumulated arrears arising from the delay, in line with the financial computation submitted by the tripartite committee.
Other demands include strict adherence to the payment template contained in the 2025 agreement and meaningful engagement with ASUU-TSU to resolve the dispute in accordance with the principles of collective bargaining, fairness and mutual respect.
The zonal leadership expressed concern over the continued computation of salaries despite the government’s verification team reportedly confirming full implementation of the agreement in other institutions within the zone.
According to the union, the report of the Taraba State Government’s fact-finding team, officially presented to ASUU on September 24, 2026, established that the institutions covered by the exercise had fully implemented the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.
It noted that other universities in the zone did not undergo similar fact-finding exercises but adopted the payment tables provided under the agreement.
The union said the Taraba State Government had no reasonable basis for subjecting ASUU-TSU to further administrative processes after concluding its verification exercise in August 2026.
“The Yola Zone is deeply concerned by the apparent continuation of salary computations after the government’s own verification team reportedly established full implementation of the relevant agreement in the institutions examined,” it said.
The union explained that the agreement, dated December 23, 2025, and circulated by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission on December 30, 2025, provides for key remuneration components, including Basic CONUASS, Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, Professorial Allowance, Earned Academic Allowances and responsibility allowances for designated academic and administrative positions.
It listed the responsibility allowances as covering Deputy Vice-Chancellors, University Librarians, Provosts, Deans, Directors, Deputy, Vice and Associate Deans or Provosts, Heads of Departments, Sub-Deans, Faculty and Departmental Timetable and Examination Officers, as well as Hall Wardens and Coordinators.
ASUU Yola Zone demanded an explanation from the state government over reports that it was considering salary computations under three different scenarios of 95 per cent, 98 per cent and 100 per cent implementation.
It rejected the proposed alternatives, insisting that the remuneration framework must be implemented in accordance with the agreed payment template.
“It is important to place this matter in its proper context. Taraba State University remains one of the very few universities and, to the best of our knowledge, the only university within the 19 northern states, if not the entire country, that is yet to implement the agreed remuneration framework arising from the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
“The Yola Zone considers this position embarrassing, discriminatory in effect and unacceptable within the Nigerian university system,” the statement added.
The union warned that the continued delay could undermine staff retention, institutional competitiveness and the university’s ability to attract and retain qualified academic personnel.
It maintained that equitable remuneration was fundamental to preserving academic standards, institutional stability and the delivery of quality university education.
The zonal leadership further insisted that the relevant verification, consultation, negotiation and financial computation processes had been concluded and that the government had received the necessary reports and documentation.
“There is, therefore, no legitimate administrative justification for further delay,” it stated.
The union also maintained that industrial harmony was a shared responsibility, noting that ASUU-TSU had demonstrated its commitment to peace through sustained engagement, constructive dialogue and considerable patience before embarking on the ongoing strike.
It urged Governor Kefas to honour the agreement, stressing that the union would not accept any attempt to renegotiate its terms.
The zonal leadership appealed to stakeholders, the university community and members of the public to prevail on the state government to resolve the dispute promptly.
The ASUU Yola Zone comprises seven public university branches across Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe states.
They are Adamawa State University, Mubi; Federal University Gashua, Yobe State; Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri; Modibbo Adama University, Yola; Taraba State University, Jalingo; University of Maiduguri; and Yobe State University, Damaturu.