Government offices shut in Osun as NLC directs workers strike

Government offices in Osun were shut on Monday as workers embark on a three-day strike as directed by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Sunday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gates to the Osun Government Secretariat and the State House of Assembly in Osogbo were under lock with no workers or business activities ongoing in the premises.

Similarly, the Olorunda Local Government Secretariat and Osogbo Local Government Secretariat gates were also locked. Students of public schools in Osogbo were also asked to return home, as teachers in public schools equally joined the strike. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NLC Chairman in Osun, Christopher Arapasopo, and Secretary, Victor Amusan, in a statement on Sunday, directed all affiliate members of the congress to embark on a three-day sympathy strike with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

The NLC leadership explained that the strike followed the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal and Osun governments over the continued withholding of the state local government statutory allocations. The NLC said that the issues raised concerning the local government allocations had remained unresolved. It said that after exhausting all reasonable avenues and in accordance with the resolutions reached at the emergency meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) held on Oct. 28, all affiliate members of NLC were directed to embark on strike. (NAN)