By The Taraba State Government has called on the state chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its ongoing strike, stating that all outstanding issues raised by the union have been addressed.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mike Dio Jen, made the appeal while speaking to journalists in Jalingo on Monday.
He disclosed that Governor Agbu Kefas had approved the release of an additional ₦300 million, bringing the total to ₦500 million, as part of efforts to clear the backlog of salaries owed to university staff.
According to the commissioner, the state government has met all seven demands earlier presented by ASUU, insisting that there is no longer any justification for the continuation of the strike.
“ASUU has no reason to sustain the ongoing industrial action. This administration inherited a backlog of salaries from the previous government, but significant steps have been taken to address the issue,” he said.
He further noted that the governor has demonstrated strong commitment to improving the state’s university system. He explained that the institution’s salary bill rose from about ₦300 million to over ₦700 million monthly following the implementation of the new minimum wage.
The government reiterated its willingness to continue engaging with stakeholders to ensure stability in the education sector and urged ASUU to resume academic activities in the interest of students.
