Tertiary Institutions in Nasarawa State Begin Indefinite Strike By Shalom Oludele
The Joint Unions of Nasarawa State Tertiary Institutions, JUNSTI, have instructed its members to proceed on an indefinite strike action, saying that the government has failed to comply with the mutually agreed full implementation of the New National Minimum Wage.
Chairman of JUNSTI, Samson Kale Gbande, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Lafia, the state capital, on Monday, shortly after a meeting with union leaders of the three institutions comprising the Isa Mustapha Agwai, Polytechnic Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia and College of Education, Akwanga.
Gbande noted that the state government had not been able to meet the agreements reached after several meetings and negotiations on the minimum wage, so the union decided to embark on an indefinite strike.
According to him, JUNSTI regrets the failure of the government to implement the new salary structure from November 2025, insisting that the union is firm and resolute in its decision for the betterment of its members.
“It will be recalled that the union had engaged the Nasarawa State Government severally on this matter through meetings held at the office of the Deputy Governor on 6th August 2025, 23rd October 2025, 3rd December 2025 and 15th December 2025.
“During these engagements, repeated assurances were given that the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage would take effect from November 2025.
“Regrettably, despite the union’s patience for over a year, these assurances have not translated into action,” Gbande narrated.
He maintained that the previously declared strike action announced on the eve of Christmas by the union was reaffirmed during the meeting, and called on the members to remain calm as “no stone would be left unturned until the legitimate demands of members of the union are met”.
The JUNSTI Chairman expressed deep concerns over the continued delay by the government to take action on the salary structure, noting that the failure to implement mutually agreed decisions contributes significantly to the productivity of the government workforce and stability in the education sector.
The union appreciated the cooperation of its members throughout the struggle for better welfare, assuring that their patience would yield expected results soon.
