Most civil servants working in Abuja, the nation’s capital, are yet to resume work fully after the two days of public holidays to observe the Sallah celebration.
The Federal Government FG had declared Wednesday and Thursday as public holidays to mark the 2023 Eid-el Kabir celebration.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the Federal Secretariat in Abuja Friday observed that the complex was almost deserted as only a handful of workers were present.
It was observed that most of the major roads linking the nation ‘s capital and other suburbs which are always busy during weekdays were scanty as well.
A civil servant, Ahmad Dada, who spoke with NAN blamed the low turnout of workers after the holidays on lack of money to return to work.
According to him, the delay in payment of June salary could have also contributed to non returning of workers, especially those who travelled out of Abuja to celebrate in their various states.
“Personally, I couldn’t make it because when I heard of the transport fare, I was totally discouraged from going home to celebrate as I usually do.
“I strongly believe that this could have also affected others too as things are very hard for many Nigerians owning to the removal of fuel subsidy which is the current challenge facing many Nigerians, ” he explained
Also Speaking, Hellen Ukpabi, said the FG ought to have paid at least June salary on time to ease people’s suffering at this time.
“Take a look at it, people are yet to get salaries and how do you expect them to return to work.
“Even those of us around, find it difficult to come to work everyday, how much more those who traveled,” she said.
Ukpabi appealed to the FG to fast track the planned palliatives in order to cushion the effects of the current challenges faced by Nigerians.
Another civil servant, Malam Yusuf Abubakar, said he expected the low turn out as the situation had always been this way whenever public holidays fell within working days.
“It is our normal tradition in the country as a whole. The situation has always been like this whenever a public holiday falls within the working days.
“It is difficult for the workers to resume as a good number of them who travelled home may want to use the opportunity to spend the weekend before coming back to resume on Monday.
”You can see a handful of workers here at the Secretariat and if you should visit most of the government agencies both in Abuja and the states, it is the same thing you would see.”
He, however, appealed to the FG to always put the period of festivities into consideration to pay an advance salary to the civil servants to ease their plights. NAN
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