Adeleke reduces work hours for public servants during Ramadan, Lent

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has approved a reduction in official working hours for public servants in observance of the Ramadan and Lent fasting periods.

The directive was conveyed in a statement issued on Thursday in Osogbo by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

According to the statement, the adjustment is aimed at supporting workers during the fasting season and enabling them to devote more time to prayer and reflection.

The new schedule takes effect from Thursday, February 19, 2026.

A circular dated February 19, 2026, and titled “Closure of Work During Ramadan and Lent Fasting Periods,” was issued by the Office of the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina. It outlined the revised working hours for the duration of the fasting period.

The circular stated that, as part of the state government’s welfare package for its workforce, the governor has approved that public servants will close work at 2:00 p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays and at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays throughout the ongoing Ramadan and Lent seasons.

The government said the gesture is intended to give workers sufficient time for prayers and other religious obligations, particularly as the state prepares for the forthcoming gubernatorial election later in the year.

However, the circular clarified that essential service providers, especially medical personnel and other critical workers, are exempted from the arrangement due to the life-saving nature of their duties.

It further directed all political office holders, accounting officers of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), heads of non-ministerial agencies, as well as local government and local council development authority officials, to ensure strict compliance with the directive and to circulate the information widely among staff.

The state government reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of workers and called for continued prayers for peace and stability in Osun State.