Workers in Osun State have commenced a three-day sympathy strike following a directive by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to protest the continued withholding of statutory allocations due to local government areas in the state.
The strike, which began at midnight on Sunday, November 8, is intended to demonstrate solidarity with members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Osun State.
The directive was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Osun NLC Chairman and Secretary, Christopher Arapasopo and Victor Amusan, respectively, and obtained in Osogbo on Sunday.
The congress said it had earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and the Osun State Government over the continued withholding of local government funds, but lamented that the issues raised remained unresolved.
According to the labour body, the decision to embark on the industrial action followed the failure of efforts to resolve the dispute and a resolution reached at an emergency meeting of its State Executive Council on October 28, 2026.
The statement read, “Consequently, having exhausted all reasonable avenues and in accordance with the resolutions reached at the emergency meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) held on Wednesday, 28th October, 2026, all affiliate unions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State Council, are hereby directed to proceed on the three-day sympathy strike in solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Osun State Council.”
It added that the industrial action would last until midnight on Wednesday, November 11, directing all affiliate unions to communicate the decision to their members and ensure full compliance across workplaces.
The NLC also warned that unions found deliberately undermining the directive would face disciplinary action in line with its regulations.
Appealing for unity among workers, the congress said, “All unions are enjoined to demonstrate maximum solidarity, unity and commitment to the collective struggle for the protection of workers’ rights and welfare. We must emphasise that an injury to one is an injury to all.”
It further described the hardship facing local government workers as a collective concern of the labour movement, insisting that the response was necessary to protect their rights, dignity, welfare and economic security.
The dispute over local government administration and statutory allocations in Osun has been part of a prolonged political confrontation between the state government and the All Progressives Congress.
The crisis, which intensified in February 2025, centred on control of local government councils across the state.
Violence erupted at several council secretariats during the struggle for control of the local government administration, with the police confirming six deaths, including that of the then APC-elected chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, Remi Abbas.
