N230bn LG Withheld: Osun Govt Denies Salary Disruption

The Osun State Government has clarified that local government workers’ salaries are being paid without interruption, despite challenges arising from withheld statutory allocations.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Osogbo, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, dismissed claims that salaries were unpaid due to alleged hijacking of local government funds, describing such narratives as misleading.

Alimi stated unequivocally that there has been no disruption in the payment of core salaries to local government workers across the state.

“There has been no interruption in the payment of core salaries to local government workers. Salaries are being paid fully and as and when due,” he said.

According to him, although local government allocations totaling about ₦230 billion have been withheld for nearly a year, the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke has continued to fund salary payments through state resources.

He explained that the government’s intervention has helped maintain financial stability for workers and prevented undue hardship for families who depend on their earnings.

However, the commissioner noted that while salaries remain unaffected, the withheld ₦230 billion allocation has impacted the payment of certain allowances and supplementary entitlements.

He said these payments are structurally tied to statutory allocations meant for the local government system and cannot be fully sustained without access to the funds.

Alimi further explained that the withheld allocations were originally intended to support grassroots administration, development projects, operational responsibilities, and worker-related benefits at the local government level.

He reiterated that the state government remains committed to workers’ welfare, stressing the need for clear distinctions between core salaries and allowances to avoid public misunderstanding.

“The welfare of workers remains a priority, as demonstrated by the state government’s decision to sustain salary payments despite substantial financial challenges,” he said.