By Olakunle Oke
The Osun State Government has argued that local government workers’ are not being owed salaries despite the withheld local government allocations.
In a statement issued in Osogbo on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi explained that the state, under Governor Ademola Adeleke, has continued to fund salaries from its own resources for nearly a year, even as about ₦230 billion meant for local governments remains inaccessible.
According to him, the intervention was necessary to protect workers from hardship and maintain financial stability at the grassroots.
Alimi, however, acknowledged that the situation has affected the payment of certain allowances and supplementary benefits, which are traditionally funded from local government allocations.
He noted that these obligations are structurally tied to council revenues and cannot be fully met without access to the withheld funds.
The Commissioner further stated that the blocked allocations were intended to support grassroots administration, development programmes, operational responsibilities, and worker-related benefits, adding that the absence of the funds has significantly constrained the financial structure of local councils.
He stressed the need for clear public understanding, reiterating that while allowances have been impacted, salaries remain consistent and uninterrupted, emphasizing that workers’ welfare continues to be a priority for the state government.
