Lecturers of Taraba State University (TSU) who embarked on an indefinite strike on Thursday have given conditions to the state government to meet before they return to classes.
The chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the university, Comrade Joshua Mbave listed the conditions while speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend yesterday in Jalingo, the state capital.
The academic staff before embarking on the strike accused the state government of not including their staff in the newly implemented N70,000 minimum wage in the state which payments commenced last month.
Part of their grievances are non-payment of salary arrears and academic earned allowance, non-existence of the university’s council to implement promotion for lecturers and non-implementation of pension scheme for the university workers.
Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas, on getting the news on Thursday through his advisor on media and digital communications, Hon Emmanuel Bello had urged the lecturers to return to classes to pave ways for further negotiations over their demands.
“Taraba State helmsman, Dr Agbu Kefas, has called on striking lecturers of the Taraba State University (TSU) to sheathe their swords and return to the negotiations table,” Bello stated.
Speaking with our correspondent, Mbave insisted that until all the standing issues were resolved, no lecturer from the university was ready to resume academic activities.
“We are being hated for engaging ourselves as lecturers at TSU. This institution was established in 2008 but up till now, there is no pension scheme for our lecturers.
The government is owing us several months of salary arrears and earned academic allowances; there is no council to harmonise our promotions as lecturers.
“As we announced the strike on Thursday, we were invited by the state commissioner for education but when we got to her office, it was rather a threat that we received. She told us that the governor directed that we should choose to return to work immediately and he would engage us coming Tuesday or remain on strike forever.
“Since it was two options, we told her we have chosen to remain on strike and that is our stand; no resumption till our demands are met,” Mbave stated.
Meanwhile, students of the institution who were already writing their examination before the strike began, pleaded with the Governor Kefas to speed up negotiations with the lecturers to end the strike for accelerated academic activities.
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