There was low turnout of local government workers across Osun State yesterday, as they ended their eight months strike over control crisis between All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to The Nation, members of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) began strike since 17 February, following an Appeal Court judgment that reinstated APC chairmen — a move opposed by PDP, which had conducted its own council elections, leading to the emergence of its members.
The protracted crisis kept council offices locked until recently when the Federal Government recognised the reinstated APC chairmen by releasing six months of withheld allocations to the local government accounts operated by them. Consequently, workers under the Association of Concerned Local Government Workers announced October 6 as their official resumption date.
Our reporter, who monitored the resumption yesterday, observed that workers resumed duty in Osogbo, Olorunda, Ifelodun, Boripe, Orolu, Ayedire, Obokun and Ilesa West local governments amid heavy security.
There was low turnout of workers despite heavy security presence.
The Chairman of Olorunda Local Government, Mr Kunle Kudaisi, addressing reporters, dispelled the claim that the council had been under lock and key since February, saying: ‘We have been attending to our assignments at the council, but today NULGE members formally resumed, as you can see them hanging around’.
He lamented that many of the workers could not resume because they went to Osun State Secretariat for their promotion letters.
‘We thank God that the rancour is over in Osun State.
‘We have NLUGE members who have resumed and also political office holders. We are fully on ground, so there is no problem at all.
He appealed to other workers to resume, ‘as the environment is safe for everyone, including residents’.
A worker at Olorunda Council, who identified herself as Kuburat Aderemi, expressed joy about the resumption.
She said: ‘The closure of councils made us not to have access to cooperative, deductions, among others. There is no insecurity at the council. I’m happy as we have resumed’.
The Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, Hassan Kamo, welcomed workers to the council, saying ‘civil servants are landlords of local government secretariats, while we, politicians, are tenants, I am glad to see them resuming after eight months’.
Boripe Council Chair, Sikiru Odebunmi, reiterated his commitment to ensuring the safety and security of workers under his administration.
Attempts to speak with the APC factional Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGN), Abiodun Idowu, was unsuccessful, as he refused to pick his calls and respond to text messages sent to his phone at press time.
