News Report (Rewritten):
The Osun State Government has strongly denied claims that local government workers in the state are being owed salaries, insisting that core wage payments have remained steady despite a prolonged financial dispute over council allocations.
Speaking in Osogbo on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said reports alleging non-payment of salaries were misleading and failed to reflect the true situation within the local government system.
According to him, local government employees have continued to receive their salaries in full and on schedule.
“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 stated.
However, the commissioner confirmed that statutory allocations meant for local governments — estimated at about ₦230 billion — have been withheld for nearly one year, creating significant financial strain.
He explained that despite this setback, the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke has stepped in to cover salary payments using state resources.
Alimi noted that while salaries remain unaffected, certain allowances and supplementary benefits tied directly to local government funds have suffered delays due to the ongoing withholding of the allocations.
He added that the withheld funds were originally intended to support grassroots administration, development projects, operational costs, and worker-related benefits across local councils.
“The continued seizure of these allocations has impacted some allowances and supplementary entitlements that depend strictly on local government funds,” he explained.
The state government maintained that its intervention has prevented salary disruptions and protected workers from economic hardship.
Officials also urged the public to disregard claims suggesting total non-payment of wages, emphasizing that worker welfare remains a top priority.
The dispute over local government allocations in Osun is part of wider political and legal tensions across several Nigerian states regarding the control and management of council funds.
— Reported by SUNTV Global Channel
