The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University Branch, has warned Governor Agbu Kefas and the university management to meet its agreement with the union without delay or risk an industrial action.
In a statement released on Thursday, ASUU Chairperson Dr. Joshua Garba Mbave said the union has reached the end of its patience after months of negotiations, adding that it will have no choice but to take “legitimate industrial actions available within the laws of the Nigerian labour system” if there is no action in the coming days.
The statement described the state government’s continued inaction on a binding agreement as a “Breach of Trust,” noting that the situation could disrupt the university’s academic calendar.
The statement read in part: “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. Anything less is an invitation to a crisis entirely of the Government’s making.
“In a meeting held with the Executive Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, in August 2025, the Government expressly PROMISED that all withheld salaries owed to TSU academic staff
would be paid on or before December 2025. To date, NOTHING has been paid. This continued withholding of legitimate earnings is unjustifiable, inhumane, and a direct violation of agreements made in good faith.
“The accumulated Earned Academic Allowances owed to staff stands at ₦1.7 billion, a figure confirmed and acknowledged by the Government. Despite several meetings, the
Government agreed to pay a mere ₦50 million monthly, starting February 2025, as part of a gradual defrayment plan.
“Shockingly, only one tranche ₦50 million was released in July 2025,”
According to the statement, during another meeting in August 2025, the Governor directed the Commissioner of Finance, through the Ministry of Tertiary Education, to immediately prepare and submit a concrete proposal to clear the ₦1.7 billion EAA backlog.
“To the dismay of ASUU, TSU, the directive was ignored. No proposal, no communication and no action. This demonstrates a disturbing pattern of official negligence, administrative sabotage, and disrespect for the office of the Governor and the future of the University.
