- From Elekwachi Chinedum, Onitsha
Anambra State Government has announced that salaries of civil servants will henceforth be paid on a pro-rata basis, depending on attendance.
Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, who disclosed this to reporters, said the decision, reached during end-of-tenure retreat of Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC), would take effect next month.
He said the council had frowned at persistent absenteeism of public and civil servants on Mondays across the state, saying it had resolved to end the “anomaly.”
Mefor said the retreat reviewed the activities of the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo over the past four years and outlined priorities for the new tenure scheduled to begin on March 17.
He said: “The retreat observed that for the past four years, many Anambra public and civil servants have consistently failed to report for work on Mondays, citing insecurity and lack of transportation as reasons for their absence.
“The retreat acknowledged that while these concerns may have existed in the past, they no longer apply, making continued absenteeism unjustifiable.
“Workers are simply enjoying the sit-at-home because they know whether they come to work or not, salaries will still be paid.
“Ordinarily, this should be treated as a clear case of absenteeism, which under the civil service rules can attract sanctions, including dismissal.
“But the government has decided not to go that route. Instead, the government will begin paying salaries on a pro-rata basis. If you don’t want to lose your pay for Monday, then you must come to office.
“The mechanism is already in place. Attendance forms are being designed to enable workers clock in on Monday mornings and clock out at the close of work.”
The commissioner said continued absence of civil servants on Mondays had a significant negative impact on government productivity and the state’s economy.
“Any day civil servants fail to come to work, government business stagnates, and by implication, the state’s economy stagnates.
“Revenue that should accrue to the government is lost, and there is no assurance that such losses can be recovered,” he said.
Citing the state Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as examples, the commissioner says when such offices are shut on Mondays, the state loses substantial revenue and critical projects are delayed.
Mefor said the pro-rata payment policy was aimed at ensuring fairness, efficiency and sustainability in public spending.
“We cannot say we should abandon Mondays and adopt Saturdays as working days. This will mean Anambra State has surrendered to whoever imposed the sit-at-home.
“It will also make us the only state in Nigeria working on Saturdays, which will be absurd. Government cannot continue to urge markets and the informal sector to open on Mondays, while its own workforce remains absent.
“It’s only reasonable to start with pro-rata payment as a way of compelling workers to resume on Mondays,” he said.
The commissioner said the government was engaging market leaders to encourage traders to reopen their shops on Mondays.
“Security is also being strengthened across the state to boost traders’ confidence and ensure they can conduct their legitimate businesses without fear,” he said.
On how the pro-rata salary system would be calculated, Mefor explained that monthly salaries would be divided by the 24 official working days in a month to determine the daily wage of each worker, which would then be applied accordingly.
“The decision has to be taken. Four years is enough. According to an international firm, the economic losses resulting from the sit-at-home run into trillions of naira.
“It is a firm decision of the government, and implementation has already begun,” he said.
