Workers across Osun State have begun a three-day sympathy strike following a directive by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to press for the release of statutory allocations due to local government councils in the state.

The industrial action, which commenced at midnight on Sunday, 8 November is scheduled to end at midnight on Wednesday, 11 November 2026.

The NLC said the strike was organised in solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), whose members have been affected by the prolonged dispute over access to local government funds.

In a statement jointly signed by the Osun NLC Chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, and Secretary, Victor Amusan, the congress said the action followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government and the Osun State Government.

The union said the issues raised in the ultimatum remained unresolved despite efforts to secure an agreement.

NLC directs affiliate unions to comply

The congress directed all affiliate unions in the state to notify their members in writing and ensure full compliance with the strike across workplaces.

It also warned that any union found deliberately undermining the directive would face disciplinary measures under its regulations.

The NLC said the hardship confronting local government workers should not be treated as an isolated concern of NULGE but as a collective responsibility of the entire labour movement.

It maintained that workers’ rights, dignity, welfare and economic security must be protected, insisting that the labour movement needed to demonstrate unity in addressing the dispute.

Local government crisis deepens

The dispute over local government allocations in Osun has been linked to a prolonged political and legal struggle between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party over control of the councils.

The crisis has left statutory allocations meant for the local governments inaccessible, with the funds reportedly domiciled in banks.

The struggle for control of council secretariats in February 2025 also resulted in violence, with the police confirming six deaths, including that of Remi Abbas, the then APC-elected chairman of Irewole Local Government Area.

The latest strike represents an escalation of the labour dispute, as workers continue to demand access to funds required for local government administration and the payment of their entitlements.