Government offices across Osun State were closed on Monday as workers began a three-day strike declared by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The industrial action disrupted activities at several public institutions in Osogbo, the state capital, with the gates of the Osun Government Secretariat and the State House of Assembly locked. No workers or official activities were seen within the premises.
The strike also affected local government administration, as the entrances to the Olorunda and Osogbo Local Government Secretariats were shut.
Public schools were equally affected, with teachers joining the industrial action. Students who arrived at their schools in Osogbo were reportedly asked to return home as academic activities could not continue.
The strike followed a directive issued on Sunday by the Osun NLC leadership, led by its Chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, and Secretary, Victor Amusan. In their statement, they instructed all affiliate unions to join a three-day sympathy strike in support of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
The labour unions are protesting the continued withholding of statutory allocations meant for local governments in the state by the Federal Government and the Osun State Government.
According to the NLC, both governments had been given a seven-day ultimatum to address the matter, but the deadline expired without a resolution.
The Congress said the concerns surrounding the local government funds remained unresolved despite efforts to find a way forward.
It added that the decision to begin the strike followed the failure of previous efforts and was in line with resolutions reached at an emergency meeting of the State Executive Council on October 28.
The NLC maintained that the three-day action was necessary to support NULGE and press for a resolution of the dispute over local government allocations.
