The Osun Youth Coalition has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately release the withheld Local Government allocations in Osun State.
The appeal was contained in a statement read by the coalition’s spokesperson, Babawale Jamiu Popoola, during a press conference held in Osogbo on Thursday.
The group described the continued withholding of the statutory funds for 185 days as a grave injustice against the people of Osun State.
The coalition noted that the situation has crippled grassroots governance and weakened the delivery of basic services across local councils in the state.
It explained that the issue goes beyond politics, stressing that the victims are not politicians but ordinary citizens such as farmers, teachers, students, market women, and people living with disabilities.
The coalition stated that schools risk decline, hospitals may fail, and rural roads remain unfixed because local councils are financially handicapped.
It added that community development programs have stalled while youth empowerment initiatives remain paralyzed, leaving many young people hopeless and jobless.
The group expressed concern that the situation amounts to punishing citizens rather than leaders, warning that it poses serious threats to economic stability and democratic governance in the state.
The coalition further called on the Federal Government to revive the National Youth Development Centre in Ode-Omu. It emphasized that the facility has remained underutilized despite its potential to drive entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and innovation among Nigerian youths.
According to the coalition, reviving the centre would demonstrate the government’s commitment to youth empowerment and provide sustainable opportunities for young people in Osun and across Nigeria.
The group urged President Tinubu to act swiftly, release the allocations, and restore life to grassroots governance in Osun State.
The statement was jointly signed by OneForAll Youth Development Initiative, the Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC), the Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP), the National Youth Assembly of Nigeria (NYAN), Osun Youth Conference, the Formidable Youth Movement (FYM), Indigenous Youth Forum (IYF), and others.
