Public servants in Osun State have warned the Federal Government that the ongoing dispute over withheld local government allocations could escalate into a total strike or mass protest if the outstanding funds are not released.
The warning was issued by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, which expressed support for the three-day warning strike embarked upon by workers in the state under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, the council described the continued withholding of statutory allocations meant for Osun State’s local government areas as a development that has caused significant hardship for council workers and their dependants.
According to the council, the funds have reportedly remained withheld since February 2025, representing approximately 21 months as of November 2026.
The JNPSNC expressed concern that the situation has affected the effective administration of local government councils and worsened the financial difficulties of workers who depend on the allocations for their welfare and entitlements.
The council maintained that local governments play a critical role in grassroots development and service delivery, warning that prolonged financial restrictions could further weaken their ability to perform their responsibilities.
It also called on the Federal Government and all relevant authorities to address the situation by releasing the outstanding allocations without further delay.
The council further warned that failure to resolve the dispute could result in a wider industrial action involving Osun State workers, including a total strike or mass protest.
The development follows a three-day warning strike declared by the Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress in solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), whose members have been affected by the dispute.
The strike commenced at midnight on Sunday, November 8, and ended at midnight on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, following an earlier seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government and the Osun State Government.
The NLC had said the industrial action became necessary after efforts to resolve the disagreement over the release of local government allocations failed to produce the desired outcome.
The dispute over the funds is connected to the prolonged political and legal disagreement surrounding the control and administration of local government councils in Osun State.
The JNPSNC has urged the authorities concerned to intervene urgently, stressing the need to protect workers’ welfare, restore effective local government administration and prevent further escalation of the industrial dispute
