By John Dike Osogbo
Government offices across Osun State were on Monday shut down as the three-day sympathy strike declared by organised labour over the lingering local government allocation crisis paralysed public activities in the state.
The strike, which commenced at midnight on Sunday, November 8, followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State Council, to the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to resolve the continued withholding of statutory allocations due to local government councils in the state.
A visit to some government establishments in Osogbo on Monday showed that many offices remained under lock and key, while only a handful of workers were seen around the premises of some government institutions.
The industrial action, scheduled to end at midnight on Wednesday, November 11, was declared in solidarity with the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), whose members have been affected by the prolonged dispute over local government allocations since February 2025.
The strike also took a dramatic turn at the Osun State House of Assembly, where members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) reportedly ejected the Permanent Secretary of the Osun State House of Assembly Commission, Taiye Elutilo, over his alleged resumption of duty during the industrial action.
The development occurred when labour leaders and journalists, who were waiting for the organised labour’s press conference in Osogbo, received information that the Permanent Secretary had allegedly forced his way into the Assembly premises and resumed work despite the strike.
The PASAN members, led by their state chairman, Comrade Adekunle Adesina Hakeem, subsequently mobilised to the Assembly complex, where they confronted the Permanent Secretary and reportedly ordered him out of the premises.
The union members thereafter secured the offices under lock and key to enforce compliance with the strike directive.
Speaking with journalists after the incident, Hakeem condemned the Permanent Secretary’s alleged action, describing it as a betrayal of local government workers who, according to him, had endured severe economic hardship arising from the prolonged withholding of council allocations.
He said organised labour could not continue to watch while workers and pensioners suffered without their legitimate entitlements.
Hakeem also warned that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to mobilising two million votes for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election could be undermined if the local government allocation crisis was not permanently resolved.
He stressed that the welfare of workers and pensioners should take precedence over political considerations, adding that labour’s support for political leaders could not be taken for granted.
At the press conference, organised labour reaffirmed its decision to proceed with the three-day sympathy strike, saying the seven-day ultimatum issued after the emergency meeting of the NLC State Executive Council on October 28 had expired without a satisfactory resolution.
The labour leaders said the continued withholding of statutory allocations due to local government councils since February 2025 had created serious hardship for workers, pensioners and their families.
They specifically expressed concern over cooperative deductions, allowances, pensions, gratuities and other legitimate entitlements of local government employees, warning that the situation had become increasingly difficult for affected families.
The Congress said the strike was aimed at demonstrating solidarity with NULGE members and compelling the relevant authorities to address the financial dispute.
Addressing residents of the state, the labour leaders acknowledged that the shutdown of public offices could disrupt government services and cause inconvenience but insisted that the action was not intended to punish the people.
They said workers were also members of the society who depended on public services and understood the difficulties residents might experience during the industrial action.
The Congress appealed for public understanding and solidarity, maintaining that the struggle was for the economic survival and protection of workers and pensioners.
Organised labour also announced plans to commence peaceful picketing of United Bank for Africa (UBA) branches across Osun State over the disputed disbursement of local government allocations.
According to the Congress, the planned picketing was intended to demand an end to further payments into the disputed accounts and ensure that outstanding statutory allocations were released into the appropriate accounts of constitutionally recognised local government administrations.
It, however, urged participating unions and workers to maintain discipline and ensure that the exercise remained peaceful and lawful.
On the political dimension of the crisis, the labour movement declared that it could no longer guarantee the support and votes of workers, pensioners and their families for President Tinubu’s re-election.
The Congress said its position was informed by the continued withholding of local government allocations and the hardship allegedly imposed on workers and their dependants.
It acknowledged Governor Adeleke’s commitment to supporting the President’s re-election but insisted that the interests and welfare of workers must take priority over individual political preferences.
“Workers’ support is neither automatic nor unconditional; it must be earned through policies and actions that protect their welfare and dignity,” the labour leaders declared.
The Congress subsequently reiterated its demands for the immediate release of all outstanding statutory allocations due to Osun local government councils, discontinuation of further payments into the disputed UBA accounts and protection of workers’ salaries, cooperative deductions, allowances, pensions, gratuities and other legitimate entitlements.
It also called for a permanent resolution of the local government financial impasse, urging the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to act urgently to restore normalcy to the council administration.
The labour leaders maintained that NULGE did not create the crisis and had no interest in its continuation, insisting that the demands were aimed at protecting workers’ rights and restoring the financial stability of local government administration.
They said they remained open to genuine dialogue but maintained that industrial peace must be founded on justice and respect for workers’ rights.
The three-day strike and the planned bank picketing have further heightened tensions surrounding the administration of local government funds in Osun State.
The situation has also brought renewed attention to the relationship between the allocation dispute, the welfare of council workers and the political implications of the crisis ahead of the 2027 general election.
