Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has formed a high-level negotiation team tasked with addressing the concerns of various university staff unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at Gombe State University (GSU).
According to a statement from the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, the committee will be led by Deputy Governor Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau. It comprises several key government officials who will engage in dialogue to negotiate the unions’ demands and ensure the stability of academic activities at GSU.
The committee includes commissioners for Local Government and Community Development, Finance and Economic Development, Education, Higher Education, and Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the executive chairperson of the State Internal Revenue Services and the State Auditor-General. Additional members are the Accountant-General, the Permanent Secretary for the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, and representatives from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), with the Permanent Secretary for Special Services and Political Affairs serving as the secretary.
Professor Njodi outlined the committee’s objectives, which include addressing key demands from the university unions as specified in the 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA). These demands encompass increased funding for GSU, payment of accumulated Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and the establishment of a dedicated training fund for academic staff pursuing higher degrees.
The negotiation team will also consider other unresolved issues, including adjustments to the N30,000 minimum wage, wage awards of 35% and 25% for academic staff, updating Daily Travel Allowances (DTA), implementing the N70,000 minimum wage, and the release of the White Paper on the 2023 Visitation Panel to the university.
News Editor