The Osun State Government has officially labeled the Osun Workers Union (OWU) as illegitimate, contending that it is an unrecognized entity that does not genuinely represent the interests of workers in the state.
In a statement released by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government affirmed its recognition only for the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) as the legitimate workers’ unions.
Recent criticism from a group of workers operating under the banner of Osun Workers Union, accusing the state government of unfairly attributing the non-payment of March salary and promotion arrears to innocent civil servants, prompted the government’s response.
The union alleged that the government was manipulating the state’s financial situation for political gain. Dismissing these claims as baseless, Alimi remarked, “We believe the concoction, which has the fitting of the distraught opposition, was pushed through a non-existent labour body, promoting false information against the government.”
The statement emphasized that the only recognized workers’ unions in Osun State, and in Nigeria at large, are the NLC, TUC, and JNC, all of which maintain a positive relationship with Governor Adeleke’s administration. The government conducted an investigation and concluded that the so-called Osun Workers Union (OWU) is a fictional group existing only on paper, with the primary aim of misleading the public.
While acknowledging the value and respect the Adeleke administration has for the contributions of all workers in the state, Alimi asserted that those behind the dissemination of false information were acting irrationally.