Ayobami Agboola 
Local government workers in Osun State resumed work on Monday after an eight-month shutdown, but attendance across most council secretariats remained low.
New Telegraph recalls that local government workers had withdrawn their services citing insecurity, following the crisis between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) over control of the councils after a Court of Appeal ruling.
The standoff left many council offices under lock and key, crippling local governance for months.
Tensions began to ease recently after the Federal Government formally recognised the reinstated APC chairmen and released six months of previously withheld allocations to local governments under their control.
While some union leaders had insisted that the strike should continue, a faction of workers led by Comrade Adedayo Adekunle last week called for an end to the impasse, describing the industrial action as counterproductive.
Checks across several council areas, including Boripe, Orolu, Obokun, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ifelodun, Ayedire, and Ilesa West, showed a few workers trickling back to their duty posts under tight security.
Chairman of Olorunda Local Government, Hon. Kunle Kudaisi, dismissed reports that his council had been completely inactive during the strike.
“We have been attending to our assignments, but today marks NULGE’s official resumption, as you can see some of the members around,” he told reporters.
Kudaisi explained that the low turnout was partly due to workers visiting the state secretariat to collect promotion letters, adding that both political office holders and some union members had already resumed duties.
He appealed to others to return, assuring them that the environment was now safe and conducive for normal operations.
A worker at Olorunda LGA, Kuburat Aderemi, expressed joy over the resumption. “The closure of councils made us lose access to cooperatives and deductions, among other benefits. There is no insecurity at the council; I am happy to see other workers resuming duty,” she said.
The LG chairman of Ifelodun, Hassan Kamo, welcomed workers back, saying: “Civil servants are landlords of LG secretariats while we politicians are tenants. I’m glad to see them resuming after eight months.”
Boripe Council Chairman, 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 the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Abiodun Idowu, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls or text messages as of the time of filing this report.
