JALINGO, NIGERIA– The Academic Personnel Union of Universities, Taraba State University Chapter (ASUU-TSU), has declined its involvement in a freshly constituted committee by the Taraba State Government to review the reimbursement and workforce of staff in tertiary institutions.
The union described the constitution of the committee as unneeded and revealed concern that another review process could even more delay the implementation of the agreed reimbursement framework emerging from the 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria/ASUU Contract.
Chairman of ASUU-TSU, Dr Garba Mbave Joshua, revealed the union’s position on Friday during an interview held at the union’s secretariat at Taraba State University.
Joshua said the union stayed dedicated to dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts however could not accept what it referred to as another avoidable hold-up after numerous verification, consultation and financial calculation processes had actually currently been finished.
Union traces dispute to February 2026
According to Joshua, ASUU-TSU began engagements with the Taraba State Federal government on the execution of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Arrangement in February 2026.
He said the union officially submitted its position and demands to the Governing Council of Taraba State University on March 17.
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Joshua included that, on the very same day, the representative of the National Universities Commission on the Governing Council submitted the commission’s cover letter and the relevant wage table circulated to visitors of state universities for implementation of the agreed remuneration structure.
He said the union had actually because exercised restraint in the interest of the university, its trainees, staff and the wider Taraba State community.
Confirmation workout established execution level
Joshua stated the state federal government subsequently made up a verification committee to take a look at wage structures and examine the level of execution across tertiary organizations.
According to him, the committee went to organizations throughout the six states of the North-East as part of the exercise.
The verification procedure culminated in a conference convened by the Ministry of Tertiary Education and the Office of the Head of Service on September 22, where the committee’s report existed and offered to the union.
Joshua said the report developed 100 per cent application of the applicable reimbursement framework across the organizations covered by the confirmation exercise, without any alternative options or variations showed.
He said the result of the confirmation should have offered the basis for the federal government to continue to implementation instead of develop another evaluation committee.
Tripartite committee computed monetary implications
The ASUU-TSU chairman explained that following the confirmation exercise, a tripartite committee was constituted to identify the monetary ramifications of implementing the concurred income structure.
The committee was also charged with calculating built up arrears developing from the delay in implementing the reimbursement framework.
Joshua stated the committee finished its task and sent its report on September 24 during a conference held at the Ministry of Tertiary Education.
“The committee completed its task and sent its report on September 24 at a conference held at the Ministry of Tertiary Education,” Joshua said.
He added that the ministry consequently acknowledged the outcome through its main interaction channels.
The union for that reason believed that the administrative procedure had reached its last and that execution would follow.
Union granted government two-week extension
Joshua stated the government had interested ASUU-TSU on September 24 to suspend contemplated commercial action following the expiration of the union’s demand.
He said the appeal was reinforced by a formal request from the Workplace of the Head of the Civil Service for an extra two weeks to solve the outstanding concerns.
According to him, the union convened its members on September 29 to deliberate on the request.
In spite of concerns among members, the union agreed to approve the federal government the extra time in the interest of industrial harmony.
Joshua kept in mind that Taraba State University was the only university among the organizations worried that had actually gotten approval to start industrial action but did not proceed with the action.
He stressed, nevertheless, that the choice must not be analyzed as an indication that the university’s employees were pleased with the situation or had deserted their needs.
ASUU warns against more delay
The union revealed concern that the constitution of another committee might undermine the progress already made through the confirmation and tripartite procedures.
Joshua said ASUU-TSU had consistently pursued dialogue and legal engagement with the government but preserved that discussion ought to cause concrete implementation.
He said the union viewed the current evaluation committee as unneeded since the issues surrounding the compensation framework had actually already gone through comprehensive verification, assessment, negotiation, monetary calculation and reporting.
ASUU-TSU kept that Taraba State University remained among the universities yet to carry out the agreed compensation structure emerging from the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement.
The union for that reason contacted the state government to immediately carry out the concurred income structure, pay all collected defaults and give result to the outcomes of the verification and tripartite committees.
It likewise urged the federal government to honour the assurances and dedications made to the union within the additional timeline it had asked for.
Union keeps door open for dialogue
In spite of its rejection of the new evaluation committee, ASUU-TSU said it stayed open up to lawful and constructive engagement with the Taraba State Government.
Joshua stated the union’s position must not be analyzed as a rejection of discussion or a hesitation to deal with the conflict peacefully.
He, nevertheless, worried that the union’s willingness to negotiate must not be translated as a waiver of its demands.
The union’s latest position follows months of engagements in between the federal government and university workers over the application of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement.
ASUU-TSU said it had actually demonstrated restraint by suspending contemplated commercial action after the federal government asked for additional time to resolve the issues.
The union is now advising the state government to utilize the duration given to conclude the procedure and execute the agreed compensation framework, including the payment of outstanding arrears.
The advancement leaves the application of the agreement at Taraba State University subject to more engagement in between the state federal government and the university workers’ union, with ASUU-TSU insisting that continued delays could undermine the trust constructed throughout the settlement process.