The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch at Adamawa State University has issued a one-week ultimatum to the Adamawa State Government to pay the outstanding Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), warning that failure to do so could lead to industrial action.
The development comes just days after the ASUU Yola Zone raised concerns over the same issue, calling on state governments in Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe, and Borno to settle the unpaid allowances.
Speaking to journalists in Mubi, the branch chairman, Godwin Boniface, urged Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to honour the agreement and ensure payment within the stipulated period.
Boniface explained that the CATA agreement applies to both federal and state-owned universities, noting that lecturers in federal institutions have been receiving the allowance since January 2026.
He described the allowance as essential for supporting effective teaching, learning, and improved academic performance, warning that non-payment could weaken lecturers’ morale and affect the quality of education.
While acknowledging that Governor Fintiri has maintained higher salary payments for academic staff compared to the federal government, Boniface appealed to him to fast-track the release of the outstanding allowance.
Earlier in the week, the ASUU Yola Zone had also called on the governments of Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe, and Borno states to clear the outstanding CATA payments to avoid disruptions in their universities.
The Yola Zone, which covers institutions including University of Maiduguri, Modibbo Adama University, Taraba State University, and others, warned that prolonged neglect of the issue could trigger avoidable disruption in the academic system.
BACKSTORY:
The issue of unpaid allowances has remained a major source of tension between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and governments across Nigeria, with the union repeatedly raising concerns over poor welfare and unmet agreements affecting university lecturers.
One of the key demands has been the payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), which is meant to support lecturers with resources for teaching, research, and other academic responsibilities.
While some federal universities have reportedly begun receiving the allowance, many lecturers in state-owned institutions say they are still being left out, despite existing agreements covering both federal and state universities.
The growing dissatisfaction has led to renewed warnings from ASUU branches across the Yola zone, raising fears of another round of disruptions in the academic calendar if the issue remains unresolved.
