By Suleiman Anyalewechi
No fewer than 180 staff members of Ezeagu Local Council of Enugu State were on Friday, April 12, 2024, issued with letters of queries for allegedly absenting themselves from their duty posts .
On an unscheduled visit to the Council Headquarters in Aguobi-Owa ,along side other members of the Enugu State Monitoring Team On Work Attendance and Productivity, the Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu, reportedly met only about 36 out of the Council’s over 200 workforce on seat ,a development that prompted an order for the issuance of query letters to the absentees.
But the Source findings have revealed that the long list of the absentee workers may not be unconnected with the long stretch of the just concluded Sallah holidays.
The Federal Government had initially announced Tuesday April 9 and Wednesday April 10 as public holidays for Muslims celebrations of Eid El Fitri,.
However, a last minute shift in the date of Sallah to Wednesday from Tuesday ,forced the federal Government to add Thursday April 11 to the Sallah holidays .
This is in addition to the Monday forced holidays in most Southeast states by the yet to be resolved Indigenous peoples of Biafra IPOB proclaimed sit-at-home order .
The Source findings revealed that after observing the holidays from Monday to Thursday,most government and public offices and ,even private businesses witnessed a lull in activities on Friday ,with many said to be still holed up at their various holidays resorts .
The Enugu State Workers monitoring team ,asserted that all employees of the state and local councils who absent themselves from work without official approvals will be disciplined in line with extant laws .
The teaam leader Ugwu, the state Head of Service ,who led other members drawn from Trade Union Congress TUC ,Governor’s office ,Joint Public Service Negotiating Council ,and other relevant bodies ,on the unscheduled tour also reminded the workers in the state on the need for them to key in to the vision of the state Governor Peter Mba .
According to the HOS , productivity remains the guiding principle of the state administration,noting that it is the only option in the quest to build a virile economy .
Ugwu,emphasized the need for all stakeholders to contribute towards the set task of growing the state economy from its current $ 4.4 billion GDP to $30 billion .
