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Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Thursday, set up a high-level negotiation team to engage with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, and the National Association of Academic Technologists, Gombe State University Chapter.
The team, to be chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Jatau, comprises key government officials tasked with negotiating the demands put forward by the unions and resolving them through dialogue to ensure the stability of academic activities at GSU.
The Secretary to the Government of the State, Professor Ibrahim Njodi, who conveyed the governor’s approval, announced the team’s terms of reference, which include addressing the key demands of the university unions, particularly those laid out in the 2021 Memorandum of Action.
These demands include increased funding for the state university, payment of accumulated earned academic allowances, and the establishment of a dedicated training fund for academic staff pursuing higher degrees.
“In addition to these demands, other unresolved issues are also on the negotiation table, such as the consequential adjustment of the ₦30,000 minimum wage, the 35 per cent and 25 per cent wage award for academic staff, updating DTA allowances, implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage, and the release of the White Paper on the 2023 Visitation Panel to the university.
“The inauguration of the team will be performed by the governor on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the Government House, Gombe,” Njodi disclosed.
Members of the team include the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Higher Education, and the Commissioner for Education.
Others are the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, the Executive Chairperson of Gombe State Internal Revenue Services, the State Auditor-General, the Accountant-General of the State, the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Public Service Reforms, the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Gombe State, the Deputy Chairman of ALGON, and the Permanent Secretary for Special Services and Political Affairs as Secretary.
