Gombe Tertiary Institutions Workers Begin Indefinite Strike

Workers in four public tertiary institutions in Gombe State have declared an indefinite strike set to commence at midnight on October 20, 2026. This decision was made by the Joint Union of Gombe State Tertiary Institutions (JOUGTIN) due to the state government's failure to resolve issues related to salary adjustments and unpaid allowances.

The affected institutions include 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, which comprises several unions including the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, stated that the strike follows a one-month period granted to the government to address their grievances after a previous 14-day warning strike.

Key demands include the implementation of national minimum wage provisions, salary adjustments, and payment of outstanding allowances. The unions had issued a 14-day ultimatum on August 17, 2026, and engaged in negotiations, but no satisfactory resolution was achieved.