By Kunle SHONUGA
Following the
Christmas and New Year holidays, civil servants in the FCT resumed their
official duties in Abuja on Wednesday with low activities.
The Federal Government had declared Dec. 25 and Dec. 26, 2018, as well as Jan.
1, as public holidays to enable workers celebrate Yuletide festivities.
A correspondent, who monitored workers resumption at the Federal Secretariat,
reports that few civil servants were seen in their offices.
Similarly, the car parks and restaurants at the secretariat were virtually
empty.
Mrs Rakiya Umar, a civil servant, said that the scanty staff in offices was due
to the fact that many civil servants were yet to resume from the holidays.
She also attributed the low activity to the fact that many civil servants take
their annual leave in December which runs into the holiday.
She expressed optimism that normal activities would pick fully up next week
when all workers would have resumed.
Mrs Bridget Ugwu, another civil servant, said that workers hardly resume fully
after the annual Yuletide holidays.
She however urged civil servants to be diligent in their duties as they were
responsible for implementing government policies.
“Civil servants should be patriotic in contributing their quota to national
development.
“The holiday was a good opportunity for us to rest and be refreshed, I came to
the office to continue work,” she said.
Mr Sadiq Umar, one of the security personnel at the secretariat car park, said
that they were resting today as many cars didn’t come to park compared to high
activities at the park on normal days.
He also attributed the empty car park to low turnout of civil servants at work
due to the public holidays.
Business at the Coca-cola restaurant at the secretariat was very low as there
were no customers to patronise them.
Mrs Ruth Okon,
who owns a restaurant at the secretariat, said business was very poor as
workers have not resumed.
According to her, many of the workers have travelled for the holidays and are
yet to return.
