Gombe Tertiary Institutions Launch Indefinite Strike Over Unmet Demands

The Joint Union of Gombe State Tertiary Institutions (JOUGTIN) commenced an indefinite strike on Monday, October 19, effectively shutting down four public tertiary institutions over the state government's failure to resolve long-standing staff welfare and salary disputes.

The industrial action paralyzes academic and administrative activities at the College of Education, Billiri; Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga; College of Health Science and Technology, Kaltungo; and the College of Education and Legal Studies, Nafada.

Core Union Demands The union's grievances center on years of stalled remuneration and unfulfilled agreements, specifically demanding:

• Implementation of the N30,000 and N70,000 national minimum wage provisions, alongside corresponding consequential adjustments.
• Application of the approved 25% and 35% CONPCASS/CONTISS salary adjustments and the new 2024 salary structure.
• Payment of outstanding annual staff increments, which have been withheld for more than eight years.
• Disbursement of unpaid wage awards and fuel subsidy removal palliatives.
• Implementation of approved CATA and CONTTA allowances for public tertiary workers.

Timeline of the Dispute JOUGTIN—an umbrella body comprising academic, non-academic, and senior staff unions including COEASU, ASUP, SSUCOEN, SSANIP, and NASU—stated the strike was a last resort after months of exhausted negotiations.

The dispute formally escalated on August 17 with a 14-day ultimatum, followed by a two-week warning strike on September 2. At the government's request, the union suspended the strike to allow a one-month negotiation window from September 17 to October 16. However, a final eleventh-hour meeting on October 17 with the Ministry of Education's Permanent Secretary concluded without any concrete or verifiable financial commitments, prompting union congresses to unanimously vote for an indefinite shutdown.

While JOUGTIN expressed regret for the severe disruption to students and parents, the union emphasized its members had demonstrated significant patience and good faith. Union leadership urged members to remain peaceful and disciplined, maintaining that they remain open to genuine dialogue but will not call off the strike until the Gombe State Government presents actionable resolutions for the tertiary education sector.