Nasarawa govt urges striking lecturers to return to work

Nasarawa govt urges striking lecturers to return to work

In a proactive move to improve the standard of education, the Nasarawa State Government has called on striking lecturers in state-owned tertiary institutions to reconsider their action and call off their ongoing industrial action.

Our correspondent reports that members of the Joint Unions of Nasarawa State Tertiary Institutions (JUNSTI) had, on December 29, 2025, embarked on an indefinite industrial action over the state government’s alleged failure to fully implement the New National Minimum Wage as earlier agreed.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Sheba, made the appeal during a bi-monthly press briefing in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Friday.

He, however, admonished the lecturers to have a rethink in the interest of students and the education sector in the state.

While expressing deep concern over the ongoing industrial action, he said, “We are already in January, and schools are expected to resume academic activities, yet we are faced with this strike. This situation is capable of affecting our children.”

He, however, maintained that suspending the strike would pave the way for the government to return to the negotiation table and resolve the lecturers’ demands. “I want to beg you to suspend the strike and allow room for further negotiations,” he stated.

Our correspondent also reports that the strike was announced by the Chairman of JUNSTI, Samson Kale Gbande, following a meeting with union leaders from three state-owned institutions, including Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic, Lafia; College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia; and the College of Education, Akwanga.

Gbande, therefore, explained that they have resolved to declare infinite industrial action following the state government’s inability to honour agreements reached after several meetings on the implementation of the minimum wage.

He lamented that the delays in adjusting the salary structure, stating that failure to implement agreed decisions affects workers’ morale, productivity, and stability in the education sector.

He narrated that the union had engaged the state government several times on the issue through meetings held at the office of the Deputy Governor on August 6, October 23, December 3, and December 15, 2025, during which assurances were given that implementation of the New National Minimum Wage would commence in November 2025.

He lamented that, “Regrettably, despite the union’s patience for over a year, these assurances have not translated into action.”