By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Anambra State Government has commenced a probe of civil servants accused of absenteeism and reporting late to duty.
The probe follows Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s unscheduled visit to the State Secretariat in March, where he met only a few workers and discovered that over 90 percent of the workforce were absent from their duty posts.
Addressing workers during the visit, Soludo warned that non-performing staff who fail to align with the administration’s vision would be disengaged.
Some of the workers accused of lateness or absenteeism appeared before the Special Disciplinary Committee on Violation of Public Service Rules, constituted in line with the Public Service Rules 2021.
The committee sat at the Office of the Head of Service, State Secretariat Complex, Awka, on Friday, April 17, and probed several workers over alleged lateness and absenteeism.
Speaking during the exercise, the Chairperson of the panel and Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, Nkiru Nwankwo, said lateness and absenteeism violate public service rules and amount to a breach of employment terms.
She warned that such offences are punishable under the rules, stressing that the current administration is committed to repositioning the public service for efficiency and effectiveness.
Nwankwo advised workers with genuine reasons for absence or lateness to follow due process by formally notifying appropriate authorities in writing and in good time.
“This exercise is set up to probe lateness and absenteeism, which violate public service rules and constitute a breach of contract of employment. Workers should have a change of attitude toward work,” she said.
Nwankwo further noted that it was illegal to receive a salary for work not done, advising disenchanted workers to resign rather than shortchanging the government.
“Disenchanted workers should submit voluntary resignation letters rather than shortchanging the government by receiving salaries for work not done. It is illegal to receive salaries not worked for,” she added.
Also speaking, a member of the committee and Commissioner in the Civil Service Commission, Chuma Uwolloh, urged workers to take their responsibilities seriously, warning that failure to do so would result in continued violations and sanctions.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Chinyere Nwabachili, also warned workers against prioritising personal businesses over official duties.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Jerome Ilokwu, said the session marked the assessment stage of the disciplinary process.
Ilokwu added that decisions would be based on responses to queries issued to the affected workers and that outcomes would be communicated in due course.
The committee also assured that the Head of Service would intensify unscheduled visits to ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure compliance with public service rules.
