Soludo orders punishment for civil servants absent during unannounced State Secretariat visit

By Kenechukwu Ofomah, Awka

Governor Chukwuma Soludo has directed the suspension of civil servants who failed to report to work by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, following an unannounced visit to the Anambra State Secretariat in Awka.

The governor moved through offices across ministries and departments during the inspection, assessing attendance, conduct, and overall workplace discipline.

During the visit, it was observed that a noticeable number of staff were not at their desks well into the morning.

Speaking to journalists after the exercise, Soludo described the situation as unacceptable and ordered that any worker absent from duty post beyond 10:00 a.m. should face suspension without pay.

He also warned that persistent absenteeism would no longer be tolerated, stating that the state would take further steps to remove staff he described as unfit for public service.

Soludo noted that the exercise revealed mixed outcomes across the workforce, pointing to what he termed varying standards of discipline and commitment among employees.
According to him, “While some staff met expectations, others fell short.”

He acknowledged investments made by the state government to improve working conditions at the secretariat and urged workers to match those efforts with greater responsibility and productivity.

The governor reaffirmed that ongoing reforms in the civil service would continue, with stricter enforcement aimed at improving efficiency and accountability across government institutions.

“I want to reiterate my commitment to evolving a civil service that is agile, effective, and efficient. To achieve this, my administration is prioritizing three key pillars of reform- Deployment of Technology; transitioning toward digital workflows to enhance speed and transparency, Effective Supervision and Evaluation; implementing rigorous performance tracking to ensure accountability at all levels, Physical Infrastructure Improvements; sustaining the modernization of the Secretariat to provide a conducive work environment.
“We have invested quite a bit in this place,” the Governor remarked, referencing the ongoing infrastructural upgrades.

He maintained that the government’s significant investment in the Secretariat must be reciprocated by a renewed sense of duty and productivity from the staff.