Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the suspension of civil servants who failed to report to duty by 10:00 a.m., following a surprise inspection of the state secretariat in Awka.
The governor issued the directive on Thursday after conducting an unscheduled tour across ministries and departments to assess workers’ punctuality, conduct and overall commitment.
Speaking to journalists after the visit, Soludo expressed displeasure at the level of absenteeism observed during the exercise.
“I walked in office by office and found a significant number of workers not yet at work as at past 10 a.m. This is unacceptable,” he said.
He directed that any staff not found at their duty posts by the stipulated time should be suspended without pay, stressing that indiscipline would no longer be tolerated in the state’s workforce.
Soludo described the situation as a mix of “the good, the bad and the ugly,” commending diligent workers while warning that those undermining productivity would be shown the exit.
According to him, Anambra cannot afford an inefficient civil service, adding that “bad eggs” in the system would be identified and removed.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to building a disciplined, efficient and results-driven public service, noting that ongoing reforms would be strictly enforced.
He also highlighted the government’s investments in upgrading infrastructure and improving working conditions at the secretariat, urging workers to reciprocate with dedication and improved productivity.
The crackdown signals a tougher stance by the Soludo administration as it seeks to instill accountability and enhance service delivery across the state’s civil service.
