Education
Osun activates 'Imole Teachers Corps' as FG withholds LG allocations stalling recruitment
Written By: SaharaReporters
31 Jul 2025 12:32 PM
Osogbo, Osun – Amid the withholding of Osun State local government allocations by the Bola Tinubu-led government, the Ademola Adeleke-led administration has lamented its inability to complete the recruitment of teachers for schools.
This is despite SaharaReporters learning that ad-hoc officers have already been deployed to schools across Osun State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Bamiji, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the continued withholding of local government funds was aimed at frustrating the Osun State government’s efforts to recruit teachers.
The PDP blamed the delay in the recruitment process on the Federal Government’s refusal to release local government allocations to the state for over five months.
It urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to immediately release Osun’s withheld allocations to facilitate the hiring of new teachers and the execution of other critical projects.
According to the party, the state government was on the verge of issuing employment letters to newly engaged teachers when the Federal Government abruptly halted allocations, defying existing court rulings.
The ruling party in the state also defended the use of ad-hoc teachers in schools.
"The deployed Ad-hoc teachers were trained, and they work under the supervision of older teachers. APC should release Osun allocation being withheld illegally so that the state government can fulfil its obligations to Osun people,” the party said.
"We are using this medium to report to Osun people that APC is hellbent on stopping Osun development. The PDP government will not allow them. Osun must develop whether APC likes it or not. Osun must escape cycle of under-development.”
“Voters will punish Osun APC for this inhuman treatment of our people. What sin have Osun people committed to warrant withholding of their allocations without any legal basis? Osun people will vote PDP and defend their votes next year August”, he said.
Earlier, a statement by the spokesperson for Governor Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, noted that the governor was seeking more deployment of members of the National Youth Service Corps to the state for posting to schools.
The statement indicated that the recruitment of full-time teachers would resume as soon as the state's financial situation improves.
It said, "We will recruit more teachers once the financial climate improves. We are, however, committed to ensuring a narrowing of the personnel gap in our schools. That is why we innovated on the Imole Teachers Corps.
“We will train and retrain those presently in service. I commend the principals and great members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. We appreciate the Parents-Teachers Association.”
“We will continue to improve the learning environment for our pupils and students. To this end, we commend the private school operators. They are a critical sector in the positive development of education in our dear state,” the statement noted.
Background
SaharaReporters previously reported that a document released by the Office of the Accountant General showed that the total amount yet to be released to the Osun State government stood at ₦46.9 billion.
In March, the state was supposed to receive ₦11.9 billion; the expected amount for April was ₦11.2 billion, ₦11.7 billion for May, and ₦12.1 billion for June.
Multiple sources familiar with the matter said that the allocations were withheld due to the Tinubu administration’s insistence that only APC-recognised local government chairmen be acknowledged in the state. So far, allocations for three months—March to May—have been withheld.
It was gathered that following the “controversial” local government election conducted by the Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration—which displeased the federal government—the allocations meant for the state’s LGAs were subsequently suspended by the Office of the Accountant General.
Sources also revealed that during this period, the APC-recognised chairmen, with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Osogbo, attempted to open LGA accounts without the state government’s input. However, this move was blocked by the Osun State government.
This is despite SaharaReporters learning that ad-hoc officers have already been deployed to schools across Osun State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Bamiji, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the continued withholding of local government funds was aimed at frustrating the Osun State government’s efforts to recruit teachers.
The PDP blamed the delay in the recruitment process on the Federal Government’s refusal to release local government allocations to the state for over five months.
It urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to immediately release Osun’s withheld allocations to facilitate the hiring of new teachers and the execution of other critical projects.
According to the party, the state government was on the verge of issuing employment letters to newly engaged teachers when the Federal Government abruptly halted allocations, defying existing court rulings.
The ruling party in the state also defended the use of ad-hoc teachers in schools.
"The deployed Ad-hoc teachers were trained, and they work under the supervision of older teachers. APC should release Osun allocation being withheld illegally so that the state government can fulfil its obligations to Osun people,” the party said.
"We are using this medium to report to Osun people that APC is hellbent on stopping Osun development. The PDP government will not allow them. Osun must develop whether APC likes it or not. Osun must escape cycle of under-development.”
“Voters will punish Osun APC for this inhuman treatment of our people. What sin have Osun people committed to warrant withholding of their allocations without any legal basis? Osun people will vote PDP and defend their votes next year August”, he said.
Earlier, a statement by the spokesperson for Governor Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, noted that the governor was seeking more deployment of members of the National Youth Service Corps to the state for posting to schools.
The statement indicated that the recruitment of full-time teachers would resume as soon as the state's financial situation improves.
It said, "We will recruit more teachers once the financial climate improves. We are, however, committed to ensuring a narrowing of the personnel gap in our schools. That is why we innovated on the Imole Teachers Corps.
“We will train and retrain those presently in service. I commend the principals and great members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. We appreciate the Parents-Teachers Association.”
“We will continue to improve the learning environment for our pupils and students. To this end, we commend the private school operators. They are a critical sector in the positive development of education in our dear state,” the statement noted.
Background
SaharaReporters previously reported that a document released by the Office of the Accountant General showed that the total amount yet to be released to the Osun State government stood at ₦46.9 billion.
In March, the state was supposed to receive ₦11.9 billion; the expected amount for April was ₦11.2 billion, ₦11.7 billion for May, and ₦12.1 billion for June.
Multiple sources familiar with the matter said that the allocations were withheld due to the Tinubu administration’s insistence that only APC-recognised local government chairmen be acknowledged in the state. So far, allocations for three months—March to May—have been withheld.
It was gathered that following the “controversial” local government election conducted by the Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration—which displeased the federal government—the allocations meant for the state’s LGAs were subsequently suspended by the Office of the Accountant General.
Sources also revealed that during this period, the APC-recognised chairmen, with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Osogbo, attempted to open LGA accounts without the state government’s input. However, this move was blocked by the Osun State government.
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