The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University chapter, has urged the Governor, Agbu Kefas, to pay the academic allowances that have been owed to staff of the university since 2014, News About Nigeria reports.
Chairperson of the Union, Dr. Garba Mbave, made this appeal while addressing a press conference at the ASUU house at Taraba State University on Thursday.
He noted that academic and promotional allowances owed, which have accumulated to N1.7 billion, have not been paid to the staff.
According to him, the non-payment of promotion arrears and withheld salaries not only creates financial strain for members but also erodes their morale and diminishes their trust in the fairness and integrity of the institution.
The union further lamented the prolonged delay in the payment of their withheld salaries, noting that with each day that passes without the payment of these outstanding salaries, the financial strain on their members intensifies, pushing them further into distress and uncertainty.
“These situations we have been subjected to have the potential to disrupt industrial harmony and compromise the productivity and effectiveness of our workforce.
“The prolonged delay in the payment of Earned Academic Allowance has created significant discontent and frustration among our members. The non-payment of these allowances not only undermines the commitment and dedication of our academic staff but also poses a threat to the overall industrial harmony within our educational institution,” he said.
He noted that without a pension scheme in place for members of staff, they are faced with the challenges of financial insecurity, adding that it is an unacceptable situation that highlights the urgent need for action.
