The Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the suspension of civil servants who failed to report to duty by 10 a.m., following an unscheduled visit to the state secretariat in Awka on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Soludo issued the directive after conducting an on-the-spot assessment of punctuality across various ministries and departments. He said any worker not found at their duty post by the stipulated time should be suspended without pay.
“I walked in, office by office, and there are quite a significant number of workers who are not yet at work as of 10 a.m. This is unacceptable,” the governor said.
Describing Anambra as an “A-state,” Soludo warned that inefficiency in the civil service would no longer be tolerated, adding that disciplinary measures would be enforced to eliminate poor work habits.
“The bad eggs will be shown the way out. Firm measures will be taken to check these attitudes in the civil service,” he stated.
The governor, however, noted that his findings reflected a mix of “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” He commended diligent workers for their professionalism and commitment, while expressing dissatisfaction with absenteeism and lateness among others.
Reaffirming his administration’s reform agenda, Soludo stressed the need for a disciplined, efficient, and result-driven workforce. He noted that the government had made significant investments in infrastructure and working conditions, urging workers to reciprocate with improved productivity.
During the visit, the governor engaged directly with staff to assess workplace culture and performance. He emphasised that consistent adherence to official working hours remains critical to achieving the state’s development goals.
Addressing persistent issues of absenteeism and late-coming, Soludo declared that the era of complacency in the civil service was over.
“We are committed to building a civil service that is agile, effective, and efficient,” he said.
He outlined key reform priorities to include the deployment of technology for digital workflows, stricter supervision and performance evaluation, and continued improvement of physical infrastructure at the secretariat.
According to him, the visit serves as a clear signal of the administration’s determination to transform the state’s bureaucracy into a high-performing system capable of delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Anambra.
