We’re tired of your empty promises – Taraba Varsity ASUU slams Governor Kefas
We’re tired of your empty promises – Taraba Varsity ASUU slams Governor Kefas
By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University chapter has expressed disappointment and frustration at the State Governor Agbu Kefas for repeatedly failing to keep his agreement with the Union on issues that bother on the welfare of members.
Garba Mbave Joshua, Chairperson of the chapter ASUU who disclose this at a News Conference in Jalingo said that the patience of the members has reached a breaking pointing and urged all stakeholders to blame the government for any decisions the Union takes going forward.
The State reads in part that “Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, Distinguished Colleagues, and the general Public. We stand before you today not just as a union but as a voice of the oppressed, the neglected, and the betrayed members of the academic community. The time for silence is over! The time for action is NOW! The Taraba State government, through its repeated neglect and disdain for our rights, has pushed us to the brink. and we are DONE waiting for empty assurances.
“In the wake of the 2024 strike action, which was suspended on January 17th, 2025, after long and grueling negotiations, the government promised to meet certain commitments. One of the key promises was the payment of a paltry sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) only monthly, starting from February 2025, to address the grievances of our members. However, what did we receive? One single payment in July 2025. That’s it. After months of waiting and countless assurances, only one payment was made, and it was barely enough to address the hardship endured by our members. This is a betrayal of the highest order! The government failed to follow through on the commitment to pay this amount monthly, and as we speak, the promises remain unfulfilled
“The timeline, which was supposed to bring closure and relief to our members who have been financially suffocated, has now become just another broken promise in the list of many. We demand an immediate, concrete, and binding action to settle these arrears. Enough is enough! Our members cannot continue to be treated like pawns in a political game, forced to endure hardships while the government continues to bungle its responsibilities.
“In August 2025, His Excellency, the Governor of Taraba State, issued a directive that the outstanding payments (EAA and Backlog of Salaries) should be cleared before December 2025. This directive was meant to bring an end to the suffering of our members, but what has happened since then? Nothing! The government has done absolutely nothing to meet this directive. It is now January 2026, and we are still endlessly waiting for a government that continues to ignore its obligations to us. The patience of our members is wearing thin, and we will no longer tolerate the broken promises.
“In addition to their failure to meet our financial obligations, the government has demonstrated a shocking and insulting disregard for communication and dialogue. As a union, we have sent numerous letters to the offices of the Executive Governor, the Head of Service, and the Ministry of Tertiary Education, yet, we have received nothing but deafening silence. These are not ordinary letters; they are appeals for justice, for the dignity of our work, and for the future of education in Taraba State University. We have heard nothing; no response, no official communication, no sign of good faith from a government that is supposed to represent the people’s interests. We have held press conferences, issued press releases, and still, it falls on deaf ears. The government’s inaction is a direct attack on our members, and we will no longer stand by while our voices are ignored!
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“The silence extends beyond paychecks. Retired members of ASUU-TSU, as well as the families of our deceased colleagues, have been abandoned. We have not seen any tangible efforts to address the lack of pension benefits for our members, who have dedicated their lives to the development of this institution. They chose to work at Taraba State University, believing that their service would be recognized and respected, only to find themselves or their families left to suffer in their old age and after death. Where is the dignity in this? Where is the government’s commitment to those who served it faithfully? The absence of any pension scheme or any plans to address this injustice is a shameful failure. The government must act now to ensure that no member of ASUU-TSU, whether living or deceased, is left to suffer the indignity of neglect.
“Let this be clear: the patience of our members has reached its breaking point. We have endured enough, and we will no longer tolerate being ignored, and left to suffer in perpetuity. The public must hold the government accountable for its negligence and its failure to honor agreements. If industrial harmony collapses, it will be because the government has failed to act. We urge the public, to stand with us in this fight for justice, for fairness, and for the future of education in Taraba State. We will not rest until these issues are resolved. The time for inaction is over. The government must do what is right, before it is too late”.
