Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has approved the immediate implementation of demands made by striking workers at the Moses Orshio Adasu University in Makurdi. The decision follows negotiations between the state government, university management, and unions representing academic and non-academic staff. A Memorandum of Agreement was signed, addressing contentious issues that had caused industrial unrest since 2018.

The governor, who is also the university’s visitor, gave his approval in a letter dated October 31, 2025. The document, signed by the Permanent Secretary for General Services on behalf of the Secretary to the State Government, outlines the agreed-upon terms. According to the university’s Registrar, Barnabas Hema, the approved demands include the implementation of a new minimum wage template, payment of arrears from November 2023, and proper placement and payment of salary entitlements for promoted staff.

The state government has committed to paying arrears of deferred promotion entitlements to deserving staff, with accumulated entitlements from 2018 to be addressed at a later date. Efforts are also underway to recruit a new vice-chancellor for the university. The university’s management has expressed appreciation for the governor’s intervention, which addresses long-standing welfare concerns that had caused industrial disharmony.

The development is expected to bring an end to the prolonged industrial action, which had disrupted academic activities at the university. The implementation of the agreed-upon terms is seen as a significant step towards restoring normalcy and stability to the institution. With the state government’s commitment to addressing the welfare concerns of staff, the university can now focus on its core mission of providing quality education to its students. The resolution of the crisis is a positive development for the university community and the state as a whole.