TSU ASUU Writes Gov. Kefas, Issues Fresh Strike Threat Over Unfulfilled Agreements

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University (TSU) Branch, has issued a stern warning to the Taraba State Government, threatening to embark on industrial action if outstanding agreements with the union are not met immediately.

The union's position was contained in a press statement released in Jalingo by its branch chairperson, Dr. Joshua Garba Mbave, who said the patience of ASUU-TSU had been exhausted after months of negotiations and repeated assurances from the government.

Dr. Mbave described the government's prolonged inaction as a "disturbing breach of trust," warning that failure to act within the next few days may force the union to activate all legally permitted industrial steps.

According to the statement, a congress meeting held on November 19, 2025, resolved that the Taraba State Government has "continued to disregard binding agreements, ignore explicit directives from the Governor, and neglect the welfare of academic staff," thereby placing the sustainability and quality of university education at risk.

The union recalled that during a meeting with Governor AgbuKefas in August 2025, the government promised to clear all withheld salaries of academic staff on or before December 2025. "To date, nothing has been paid," ASUU said, describing the withholding of legitimate earnings as "unjustifiable and inhumane."

ASUU-TSU also expressed frustration over the government's failure to address the ₦1.7 billion Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) backlog. Despite the government's agreement to release ₦50 million monthly starting February 2025, only one tranche—paid in July—has been released so far.

The union alleged that a directive from the Governor to the Commissioner of Finance to submit a concrete proposal for clearing the EAA backlog was ignored, calling it "administrative sabotage and disrespect for the office of the Governor."

Another unfulfilled directive, according to ASUU, was the Governor's order to the Head of Service to produce a memo establishing a functional pension scheme for TSU staff within one week. The union said the directive was never carried out, leaving thousands of staff without pension coverage.

"This level of neglect is unacceptable in any modern educational system," the statement added. ASUU argued that the absence of a pension system exposes retiring academics to hardship and undermines the long-term stability of the institution.

ASUU-TSU said it has exercised restraint and opted for dialogue at every point, but warned that "dialogue without sincerity has now been exhausted." It placed full responsibility for any looming disruption on government officials who have allegedly refused to act on clear directives.

The statement added that: "Unless these issues are addressed immediately and decisively, the Union will have no alternative but to activate all legitimate industrial actions available within the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The future of Taraba State University cannot be placed at risk by inaction, silence, and broken promises."