The Osun State government has dismissed claims that local government workers are going without salaries due to the prolonged withholding of federal allocations, insisting that core salaries have continued uninterrupted through state-level interventions.
In a statement issued via X on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described recent narratives suggesting non-payment of salaries as misleading and “factually inaccurate.”
“There has been no interruption in the payment of core salaries to local government workers. Salaries are being paid fully and as at when due,” Alimi said.
He added that despite the hijacking of local government allocations for nearly a year, totaling approximately ₦230 billion, the Osun State government under Governor Ademola Adeleke has sustained salary payments using state resources.
“This intervention has ensured financial stability for workers and shielded families from avoidable hardship,” the commissioner stated.
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However, Alimi admitted that the continued withholding of the ₦230 billion has affected the payment of certain allowances and supplementary entitlements, which are ordinarily funded from statutory allocations.
“These obligations are structurally tied to funds accruing to the local government system and cannot be fully accommodated in the absence of those resources,” he said.
The commissioner emphasized that while allowances and other supplementary payments have been impacted, salaries remain consistent.
“Clear distinctions must be maintained to ensure public understanding is guided by facts,” Alimi added.
The clarification comes amid a prolonged political and legal tussle over local government control in Osun State.
Following Gov. Adeleke’s inauguration in 2022, he dissolved councils elected under the previous All Progressives Congress administration of Gboyega Oyetola.
The sacked APC officials reportedly refused to vacate their offices, creating competing claims of legitimacy.
In September 2025, a court in Oyo State restrained United Bank of Africa from releasing, disbursing, or tampering with funds in the accounts of the 30 local governments linked to court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors.
The injunction remains in place pending further court hearings.
The withheld allocations, initially intended for grassroots administration, development projects, operational costs, and worker benefits, have significantly constrained local government finances.
Alimi concluded: “While allowances have been affected, the payment of salaries has remained uninterrupted, ensuring that workers and their families are protected from financial hardship.”
