No More Mondays?” – Anambra Governor Soludo Reacts To Ongoing Sit-At-Home Strike

The Anambra State Government has announced that it will begin pro-rata salary payments for civil servants starting February 2026, as part of measures to curb the ongoing Monday sit-at-home culture in the state.

The announcement was made on Saturday in Awka by the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, during a press briefing following the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) end-of-tenure retreat.

Dr. Mefor explained that the pro-rata policy responds to deliberate absenteeism by civil servants, despite improvements in the state’s security situation.

He said, “Workers have been taking advantage of the sit-at-home because they knew their salaries would be paid regardless of attendance. Ordinarily, this could be treated as absenteeism, which may lead to dismissal under civil service law. But we are taking a different approach: starting this February, salaries will be paid pro-rata.”

Under the new system, civil servants will be required to clock in and out every Monday to maintain accurate attendance records. Mefor emphasized that the long-standing practice of skipping work on Mondays is no longer justifiable.

“Past challenges such as insecurity and transportation issues are no longer valid reasons for staying away from work,” he said, noting that absenteeism has significantly impacted productivity and revenue generation across the state.

“If employees of the Anambra Internal Revenue Service and other MDAs choose to absent themselves on Mondays, the state loses substantial revenue and hampers the progress of essential work,” he added.

The government also indicated ongoing discussions with market leaders to encourage businesses to fully resume activities on Mondays, alongside enhanced security measures to reassure traders and residents.

“The state cannot demand markets and informal sectors resume operations while its workforce continues to stay away,” Mefor noted.

Addressing suggestions to swap Mondays for Saturdays as working days, he rejected the idea, saying, “Do we now abandon Monday and make Saturday a working day? That is not a solution. It would mean Anambra is yielding to the forces behind this sit-at-home, and we would be the only state in Nigeria working on Saturdays, which is absurd.”

Regarding salary deductions, Mefor clarified that each month will be treated as having 24 working days, and pay will be calculated based on actual attendance.

“Every naira spent must reflect fairness, efficiency, and sustainability. That is why the pro-rata system is being implemented,” he said.

He concluded by highlighting the economic toll of the sit-at-home across the South-East, which runs into trillions of naira, stressing that Anambra can no longer shoulder such losses.

“This is a firm decision by the state government, and implementation has already begun,” Mefor affirmed.