Low attendance as civil servants resume work after Christmas break

Work resumed on Friday following the two-day public holiday for Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations.

However, attendance among federal and state civil servants in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital was low.

Both federal and state governments had declared Wednesday and Thursday as public holidays for the festivities.

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Visits to the federal and state secretariats at Ikolaba and Agodi revealed that only a handful of workers had returned to their posts.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Jacob Boboye, a federal worker, explained that many of his colleagues who traveled for the holidays would likely return to Ibadan over the weekend.

“You know that the FG paid salaries on Tuesday, so workers had money to travel and meet their families for the Christmas celebration. I believe the majority of the workers will be at their duty posts on Monday,” Boboye said.

Similarly, Mrs. Aminat Yusuf, another federal employee, cited high transport fares as a reason for delayed returns. She mentioned that some of her colleagues had called to explain the impact of increased travel costs on their ability to resume work promptly.

At the state secretariat, Mr. Gabriel Adeji noted that some workers might have taken official leave or obtained valid permissions.

“No civil servant can be absent from work without a cogent reason,” Adeji said, commending the state government for paying salaries on time, which he said had enabled workers to celebrate the holidays.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Bola Adunola, a state civil servant, expressed enthusiasm about returning to work after the holiday.

“I rested well during the holiday and am resuming with vigor to continue carrying out my duties,” Adunola said, urging her colleagues to approach their jobs with dedication and responsibility.

As offices gradually return to full capacity, it is expected that attendance will improve significantly by Monday.