Strike Threat: Gov Yahaya Approves N148.76m Monthly Subvention For Gombe Varsity

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has approved an additional N148.762 million monthly subvention for Gombe State University (GSU) to facilitate the implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance (CATA).

The approval, which takes effect from October 2026, represents a 56 per cent increase in the university’s monthly subvention and is aimed at enabling the institution to meet its obligations to academic staff under the enhanced salary structure.

The development was announced on Wednesday by the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Prof Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, who said the governor had also directed the immediate processing of outstanding CATA arrears owed to university staff.

The latest intervention comes a few days after the Joint Union of Gombe State Tertiary Institutions (JOUGTIN) issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state government, threatening an indefinite strike if outstanding salary, promotion and welfare-related entitlements were not addressed.

LEADERSHIP had reported that the unions, in a communiqué issued after their August 14 meeting, said several agreements reached with the government on staff welfare remained unresolved despite repeated engagements.

Among their demands were the implementation of the N70,000 national minimum wage and consequential adjustments, payment of 25 per cent and 35 per cent CONPCASS/CONTISS salary adjustments, outstanding arrears from the previous N30,000 minimum wage, wage awards and palliatives.

The unions also demanded the implementation of promotions and payment of promotion arrears, some of which they said dated back several years, as well as annual salary increments and the approval and implementation of CATA and CONTTA allowances for staff of public tertiary institutions.

Responding to some of the issues raised by the unions, Governor Yahaya directed GSU management to commence processes for the payment of outstanding CATA arrears.

The governor also directed the university management to explore internal measures for the progressive settlement of other outstanding obligations, including arrears of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent wage awards, minimum wage and Earned Academic Allowances.

According to the SSG, the additional subvention would allow the university to make adequate budgetary provisions for the new salary structure in the state’s 2026 Supplementary Budget, which is scheduled for consideration by the Gombe State House of Assembly in September.

The government said the obligations would be addressed in phases, taking into account the financial sustainability of the university and the need to avoid disruption of academic activities.

The latest move also comes against the backdrop of growing pressure on state-owned tertiary institutions over funding and staff welfare.

In a related development, the Gombe State House of Assembly has passed legislation establishing the Gombe State Education Trust Fund, with operations expected to commence in October 2026.

The state government, in a statement by Governor Yahaya’s spokesperson, Ismaila Uba Misilli, said the fund would provide a more sustainable financing framework for education, particularly GSU and other state-owned tertiary institutions, while strengthening the state’s capacity to meet recurrent and developmental needs.

It is also expected to provide a more dependable mechanism for addressing staff welfare and institutional requirements.

The government appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to take cognisance of the measures being implemented and the assurances given by the administration.