The Joint Union of Gombe State Tertiary Institutions (JOUGTIN) has announced an indefinite strike at four public tertiary institutions in Gombe State starting Tuesday, October 20, due to unresolved salary and welfare issues.
In a statement issued on October 19, the union said the strike would begin at midnight after a one-month deadline given to the state government to address the outstanding concerns expired.
The institutions impacted are the College of Education, Billiri; Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga; College of Health Science and Technology, Kaltungo; and College of Education and Legal Studies, Nafada.
JOUGTIN comprises five unions representing academic and non-academic staff. The union had previously issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government on August 17, which lapsed on August 31 without a satisfactory response. This led to a two-week warning strike that commenced on September 2.
The government then requested more time for negotiations, promising to make substantial commitments to resolving the issues, which JOUGTIN accepted, giving the government until October 16.
However, a meeting on October 17, attended by a representative of the Commissioner for Education, revealed no concrete proposals from the government, prompting JOUGTIN to proceed with the strike as agreed upon by its members.
Outstanding demands include the implementation of national minimum wage provisions of N30,000 and N70,000, as well as related salary adjustments and payment of wage awards linked to the removal of fuel subsidies. The union also cited the payment of annual increments overdue for over eight years.
JOUGTIN expressed that the strike was a difficult decision but necessary for staff welfare and institutional stability. It apologised for the disruption to students and parents but reaffirmed the importance of addressing their demands.
The union urged its members to remain disciplined and united during the strike while expressing its readiness for further negotiations.
