Tertiary institutions staff embark on a 3-day warning strike in Taraba

Academic activities at tertiary institutions in Taraba state have been grounded following a three-day warning strike embarked upon by the Joint action committee of tertiary institutions.

The committee, which includes the state College of Agriculture, Jalingo, College of Education Zing, School of Nursing, Jalingo and the state Polytechnic are demanding for the payment of arrears of their specialised allowance for several months and implementation of 65 years retirement age for staff.

Our reporter, who visited the College of Education in Zing, College of Agriculture, Jalingo and the State Polytechnic, Jalingo, report that all the gates leading to the institutions were locked.

Speaking on the strike action, chairman of the Joint Action Committee of tertiary institutions in Taraba State, Abdulkadir Bello decried non-challant attitude of the government towards the agreement reached in their recent meetings.

According to him, some of the grievances include non-accreditation of courses of the State Polytechnic, College of Nursing and Health Technology, Takum, provision of library and compensation of land outside the fence of College of Education Zing.

Commenting on the strike action, the Chairman of College Education Academic Staff Union COEASU, Charles Wirbai said the state Government had failed to release funds for the supervision of students on teaching practice and the provision of accommodation for staff.

Some students of College of Education Zing who spoke to our reporter, Jepson Andranus and patience Stephen both two 200 level students of Applied Arts expressed sadness for being thrown out of lecture halls when the strike commenced.

They appealed to government to, as a matter of urgency meet the demands of the lecturers for smooth academic activities in the state tertiary institutions.