Civil servants in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, are yet to resume work after the two days public holidays declared by the Federal Government to celebrate Christmas.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, who visited the Federal Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday reports that activities were low with few workers seen going in and out of the complex.
NAN also reports that most of the major roads linking the secretariat, which were usually busy during week days as well as the car park, were scanty.
Some of the civil servants who spoke to NAN blamed the low turnout of workers after the holidays on the delay in the payment of salaries by the Federal Government.
Simon Olajide, a civil servant, said government’s delay in the payment of salaries was one of the reasons for the low turnout of workers after the Christmas holidays.
“Most of the civil servants that are yet to resume work may have spent all they have for the celebration and may not have money to come to the office.
“My appeal is that government should always put the interest of its workers in mind, especially in times like this to encourage them to put in their best in return,” he said.
Hanatu Ibrahim, another civil servant attributed the low workers’ resumption to the fact that some of the workers were on annual leave.
She said experience in the past had shown that most of the workers preferred taking their leave during festive periods like this to stay with their families.
“As you can see, the secretariat is scanty and the reason is that most of the workers are on annual leave and may have travelled to their various communities for Christmas celebration.
“It is normal and expected that activities here will be low considering the fact that people are always travelling during seasons like this,” she said.
Ms. Ibrahim expressed optimism that activities at the secretariat would pick up after the New Year celebration.
Most of the Civil
servants have travelled
to their hometown.