The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at Taraba State University (ASUU-TSU) has called on the state government to urgently address the welfare of its members following the deaths of three lecturers.
The union, which claimed that the three lecturers passed away within 48 hours, linked their deaths to long-standing neglect and unresolved grievances.
ASUU-TSU Chairman, Mbave Joshua Garba, made the appeal in a statement shared on his Facebook account.
He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the three lecturers, identified as Akporido Samuel, Kiliobas Sha’a, and Mallam Ibrahim Saleh Bali. According to Garba, their untimely deaths were a direct result of poor welfare conditions, including unpaid Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), unresolved salary arrears, and the lack of a functional pension scheme.
“The plight of ASUU-TSU members has reached a heartbreaking and unbearable level,” Garba lamented. “In the midst of our collective suffering, we have tragically lost three of our dear colleagues. Their passing is a painful reminder of the toll that these unresolved issues have taken on us.”
Garba described the deceased lecturers as not only professionals but also vital figures within their families and mentors to many students. He condemned the harsh working conditions under which they operated, which he said contributed to their deaths, and stressed that their sacrifices should not be forgotten.
The ASUU-TSU Chairman called on the state government to address the welfare concerns of university staff immediately to prevent further tragedies.
He emphasized that neglecting the welfare of educators undermines the intellectual development of society.
Garba urged that the deaths of the lecturers should serve as a catalyst for meaningful change in the treatment of academic staff in the state, ensuring their contributions are recognized and properly valued.
