The Joint Union of Gombe State Tertiary Institutions (JOUGTIN) has announced an indefinite strike across four public tertiary institutions in the state from Tuesday, October 20, over unresolved salary and welfare demands.
In a communiqué dated October 19, 2026, the union said the strike would commence at midnight following the expiration of a one-month window granted to the state government to address the outstanding issues.
The affected institutions are the College of Education, Billiri; Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga; College of Health Science and Technology, Kaltungo; and College of Education and Legal Studies, Nafada.
JOUGTIN comprises five unions: COEASU, ASUP, SSUCOEN, SSANIP and NASU, representing academic, senior and non-academic staff across the institutions.
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The union said it issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government on August 17, which expired on August 31 without a satisfactory response, promoting a two-week warning strike which began on September 2.
According to the communiqué, the government subsequently appealed to the unions to suspend the planned indefinite strike and allow one month for further negotiations, promising concrete commitments towards resolving the dispute.
JOUGTIN accepted the request in the interest of dialogue and industrial harmony, granting the government until October 16 to address the demands.
The union said it reminded the government of the agreement in a letter dated October 6.
At a meeting on October 17, attended by the Permanent Secretary on behalf of the Commissioner for Education, the government again requested more time but failed to present a concrete and verifiable offer.
JOUGTIN said its leadership could not unilaterally grant another extension because the congresses of the constituent unions had resolved that an indefinite strike should commence if the demands remained unresolved after the agreed deadline.
The outstanding demands include the implementation of the N30,000 and N70,000 national minimum wage provisions, consequential adjustments, approved 25 and 35 per cent CONPCASS/CONTISS salary adjustments, and the 2024 salary structure.
The unions are also demanding payment of outstanding minimum-wage-related salary adjustments, wage awards and palliatives introduced to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Other demands include payment of annual increments said to have been outstanding for more than eight years and implementation of approved CATA and CONTTA allowances.
JOUGTIN said the strike was not an easy decision, noting that it had demonstrated patience by granting the government additional time to resolve the dispute.
It apologised to students, parents and other stakeholders for the disruption the action might cause but maintained that addressing the demands was essential for staff welfare and institutional stability.
The union urged its members to remain peaceful, united and disciplined throughout the strike, while expressing readiness for further negotiations capable of producing concrete commitments and a credible resolution of the dispute.
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