Yuletide: Federal Secretariat records low turnout of civil servants

Following the end of 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 December 25 and December 26, as well as January 1, as public holidays to enable workers celebrate Yuletide festivities.

A NAN 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.

Rakiya Umar, a civil servant, said 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.

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.

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.

NAN also observed that business at the Coca-cola restaurant at the secretariat was very low as there were no customers to patronise them.

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.

(NAN)