The Taraba State University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced a complete, all-encompassing, and indefinite strike action.

This comes after the state branch of ASUU was given authorization to go on strike by the national organization to enforce its demands, while the state government refuted charges that it owed workers’ salaries.

The union claims that the reason for their action, which resulted from a congress meeting, is based on the government’s inability to pay earned academic allowances, promotion arrears, the partial payment of staff salary, as well as the unresolved staff pension and gratuity system.

Mr Samuel Shitaa, the Taraba State University ASUU Chairman, noted that other reasons for the industrial action includes non implementation of agreements and perimeter fencing of the institution.

Reacting to the strike action, the state government through the Commissioner for Tertiary education Edward Baraya in a telephone interview said the union has not communicated their action to the state government.

He wondered why ASUU would take such a decision when the present government is doing everything possible to address the issues before leaving office.

Also reacting, the special adviser to the governor on media and publicity Bala Dan-Abu in a press statement said the outgoing governor is owing no worker salaries.

Below is Mr. Dan-Abu communique stating the government’s position on the issue.

Press statement

The outgoing administration of his excellency, arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, executive governor of Taraba state, is not owing any group of workers in the state monthly salaries and, therefore, will not be leaving behind any burden arising from unpaid emoluments for the in-coming administration.

This clarification became necessary following a press statement issued recently on behalf of the in-coming administration of Lt Col Agbu Kefas, the governor-elect which contained a promise to pay salary arrears in its first 100 days.

This veiled accusation is wrong and unnecessary. The Ishaku administration never toyed with the welfare of workers in its eight years of stewardship in the state. It had consistently paid their salaries since it assumed office in 2015, most of the time before the end of every month.

We find this so-called promise to pay outstanding salary arrears made on behalf of the governor-elect not only misplaced but also misleading.

It is also surprising coming from an in-coming administration widely known and regarded to be an offspring of the the present government of his excellency, arc Darius Ishaku.

We think we needed to set the records straight, hence this rebuttal.

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