Despite End Of Holidays, Nigerian Govt Workers Yet To Resume Duties

As work resumes on Wednesday in the Federal Capital Territory, a visit to the Federal Secretariat, showed low turnout of workers.
The federal government had declared December 25 and 26 as public holidays to mark the Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations.
The News Agency of Nigeria correspondents who were at the secretariat in Abuja, observed that the secretariat which was usually a beehive of activities was virtually empty.
NAN also reports that most offices were locked and a few members of the staff and cleaners were seen hanging around.
Some workers who spoke to NAN attributed the low turnout of workers to the yuletide season as many people had travelled.
Udochukwu Mgbeche of the Ministry Of Communication Technology told NAN that many workers were not in the office because they had travelled for different programme in their respective villages in spite of the fuel scarcity.
“As you can see this is not what the secretariat used to be; it used to be a beehive of activities.
“As you can see most of the offices are locked because many people have travelled despite the fuel scarcity.
“I am in the office because I need to be here; I am not on leave, the public holiday is over. I came because it is my duty as a member staff to be in the office.’’
Also, Femi Adewole from the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, said though workers were yet to resume fully, he expressed optimism that workers will resume fully by New Year.
“The office is not that full because a lot of people who travelled must have been stranded due to scarcity of fuel; I guess by January people would have returned and will resume work.
“Personally, I have to be in the office even though there is no work for me to do; it is necessary I report to the office even if it means me sitting down in the office doing nothing.’’
Similarly Chinwe Osita, a civil servant said that the fuel scarcity was a major hindrance for some workers.
“It was difficult for me to come to the office today, transport fare has doubled. Before now I used to pay N100 from Mararaba axis to town, now the fare is N200.
“This means I have to spend nothing less than N500 when you include my bike fare to and fro the bus stop.
“By January many people would have returned and work will resume fully.’’
A visit to the National Hospital also showed that health workers were fully on ground to attend to patients.
Enyioma Aja, a matron at the hospital told NAN that work was in progress as many patients took their turns to see the doctors.
“As you can see I am very busy. For we health workers, there is no holiday because we have to attend to the sick who come in every day.
“In spite the fuel scarcity we have to do everything humanly possible to report for duty.”