Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has ordered the immediate suspension without pay of civil servants who were not at their duty posts by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, following a surprise inspection of the state secretariat in Awka.
The directive, issued after an on-the-spot assessment, is aimed at addressing absenteeism, poor work ethic, and inefficiency within the civil service. The governor said affected workers would face sanctions as part of broader efforts to enforce discipline and improve productivity.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Soludo said the visit was intended to assess workers’ punctuality, conduct, and commitment across ministries and departments. He expressed disappointment at finding many offices empty well past the official resumption time, stressing that such behaviour undermines government performance and service delivery.
“I walked into the office and found a significant number of workers not yet at work, as at past 10 a.m. This is unacceptable,” the governor said.
Soludo acknowledged that the civil service still has dedicated personnel but warned that “bad eggs” would be removed from the system. He described his findings as a mix of “the good, the bad and the ugly,” commending diligent workers while expressing strong dissatisfaction with absenteeism and lack of commitment among others.
The governor further warned that the state government would no longer tolerate indiscipline, adding that reforms aimed at building a disciplined and results-oriented workforce would be strictly enforced.
He also noted that the government has invested heavily in improving infrastructure and working conditions at the state secretariat, urging workers to reciprocate with greater dedication and productivity.
