Osun NLC Gives FG Seven-Day Ultimatum Over Withheld LG Funds, Threatens Strike, UBA Picketing

Daud Olatunji

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State Council, has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to resolve the continued withholding of statutory allocations meant for local government councils in the state, threatening a three-day sympathy strike and protests at branches of United Bank for Africa (UBA) if the dispute remains unresolved.

The labour union said it would commence the proposed strike at midnight on Sunday, November 8, and end it at midnight on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, while peaceful picketing of UBA branches across Osun State would begin on Thursday, November 12.

The ultimatum was contained in a communique issued in Osogbo on Saturday and signed by the NLC State Chairman, Christopher Arapasopo.

The congress expressed concern that the prolonged funding crisis had severely weakened the financial capacity of local government councils, leaving them unable to discharge their constitutional responsibilities and meet their obligations to workers.

According to the union, the continued withholding and disputed disbursement of local government statutory allocations have subjected council employees to prolonged financial uncertainty and economic hardship.

While acknowledging the intervention of Governor Ademola Adeleke in ensuring that local government workers receive their net salaries without deductions, the NLC maintained that such intervention could not constitute a permanent solution to the funding crisis.

It insisted that local government councils must have access to their statutory allocations to function effectively and fulfil their obligations.

The communique partly read, “The SEC-in-Session warns that failure by the relevant authorities to meet these demands within the stipulated seven-day ultimatum will leave the NLC, Osun State Council, with no alternative but to implement lawful industrial actions in solidarity with the affected local government workers.”

Outlining its planned actions, the union said, “Such actions shall include a three-day sympathy strike in solidarity with NULGE, commencing at midnight on Sunday, 8th November, 2026, and ending at midnight on Wednesday, 11th November, 2026.

“The commencement of peaceful picketing of UBA branches across Osun State from Thursday, 12th November, 2026, as part of the Congress’s collective efforts to demand an immediate end to the continued withholding and disputed disbursement of local government statutory allocations.”

The NLC stressed that the planned industrial action was not intended to inflict additional hardship on residents but was a legitimate response to what it described as the prolonged economic distress facing local government workers.

It also disclosed that mobilisation was already underway, with the backing of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and South-West councils, to ensure full participation in the proposed action.

Reaffirming its commitment to defending workers’ rights, the congress warned that industrial harmony could not be guaranteed in an atmosphere of perceived injustice, financial uncertainty and prolonged neglect of workers’ welfare.

The union consequently urged the Federal and Osun State governments to urgently intervene and resolve the dispute, calling on stakeholders to support a lasting solution that would restore normalcy to the local government administration in the state.

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