The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered all public servants and political office holders in the state to start reporting at their places of work on Mondays or face serious sanctions.
Offices, including those of government and schools, have stayed shut since the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu began last year, and enforcers of the sit at home order often threatened those who attempted to disobey.
According to a statement signed by the Head of Service, Mrs Theodora Igwegbe, in Awka, on Friday, Soludo directed all public servants to report to work on Mondays, as they do on other workdays.
Read also: https://www.herald.ng/we-wont-allow-soludo-rule-anambra-anyhow-pdp-chieftain/
The governor, while stating that the directive takes immediate effect, added that any worker, who absents themself on Monday, without approval, would be viewed as serious misconduct, which would attract appropriate sanctions.
The statement read in part, “Following the need to reposition the service for better performance and productivity, His Excellency, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has directed that all public servants should henceforth report at their places of work on Monday as they do on other workdays.
Consequently, absence from duty on Monday or any other official workday without approval will be viewed as serious misconduct which will attract appropriate sanctions.”
He added that, the directive is to take immediate effect. Political office holders, permanent secretaries and all heads of departments are to disseminate the content of the circular to all public servants under their supervision and ensure compliance.
Soludo had in the course of his governorship campaign last year lamented the continued sit at home on Mondays in the South East, arguing that the zone was losing an estimated N19.6billion every Monday, while people who were coming to transact business in the zone were being forced to go to other parts of the country.
Also speaking during his inauguration as governor, Soludo warned that there must be law and order in the state, even as he extended the olive branch to all separatist groups that he would engage them in a conversation to ensure that peace and normalcy returned in the state.