The Nasarawa State Government has appealed to lecturers of its tertiary institutions to suspend their ongoing indefinite strike, calling for dialogue to resolve the dispute over the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lafia on Friday, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs urged the academic union to reconsider its stance in the interest of students and the state’s education system.
“We are already in January, and academic activities are supposed to resume. Yet, our children are unable to return to school because of this strike,” the SSA said, stressing that halting the industrial action would create space for renewed negotiations.
The strike, declared by the Joint Union of Nasarawa State Tertiary Institutions (JUNSTI) on December 29, 2025, affects three major government-owned institutions — Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic, Lafia; College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia; and the College of Education, Akwanga.
JUNSTI Chairman, Samson Kale Gbande, explained that the action followed the government’s failure to fully implement the new minimum wage as previously agreed. According to him, several meetings with the Deputy Governor and other officials—held between August and December 2025, produced assurances that implementation would begin in November.
“Regrettably, despite our patience and repeated assurances, nothing has been done. This delay has demoralized staff and weakened morale in the sector,” Gbande stated.
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The government, however, maintains that ongoing discussions can yield a sustainable solution if the strike is suspended. It emphasized its commitment to honour agreements and stabilize the education sector, urging the lecturers to “prioritize the students’ future over industrial tension.”
As the impasse persists, thousands of students remain stranded, with academic calendars in limbo. Concerned parents and education advocates have also appealed for an urgent resolution to prevent the disruption from extending into the new academic year.
