Strike: Gombe Govt. Approves N947m For Allowances, Promotion Arrears

The Gombe State Executive Council authorized N947 million to cover earned allowance and promotion arrears for Gombe State University staff.

Our correspondent reports that the SEC meeting was presided over by Governor Muhammadu Yahaya on Thursday.

The sum of N265,202,570.47 was released for outstanding promotion arrears and N682,467,338 for the EAA.

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Recall that the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities has been on strike for more than a month owing to the EAA, promotion arrears, and other infractions.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Deputy Governor Manassah Jatau, who doubles as the Chairman of the negotiation committee, said the approval would soften the ground for the unions to resume work.

He said, “The government has deliberated on their issues, particularly on a complex issue that they call the Earned Academic Allowance, which only those in the university will understand. They have issues with their promotion, which is a common thing. The 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 the state government paid N265,202,570.47 million to staff in Gombe State University as outstanding promotion arrears. By implication, the state does not owe any staff of the university any promotion arrears. On the Earned Academic Allowance, the government sat to approve N682,467,338 million; totalling N947,669,909.13 million which the government spent on the employees of the university to ensure that their work is not hampered.”

While urging the workers to discharge their duties assiduously to justify the government’s investments, Jatau said, “I’m sure that 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.”

On September 11, 2024, the ASUU branch of the institution, led by its Chairman, Dr Suleiman Jauro, declared an indefinite strike following the failure of the state government to meet the demands.

The union listed its demands to include non-implementation of the 2021 Memorandum of Action; increased funding for the university, non-payment of accumulated Earned Academic Allowances, non-institutionalisation of training for sponsorship of academic staff for higher degrees, and many others.

Jauro noted that the government gave no serious attention to its efforts, adding that the government’s refusal has led to a situation where EAA for 2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 accumulated while staff continued to suffer the difficulties discharging excess workload despite poor working conditions.