By Okoli Sunday
The Anambra State Works Commissioner, Engr. Marcel Ifejiofor, has locked out members of Staff of the Ministry who came late to work on Friday, October 25.
The action, according to the Commissioner, was a way of instilling discipline in the state’s work force and make them know that it was no longer business as usual. He wondered why the staff of the Ministry would not come early to work in order to reciprocate the government that had given adequate concern to their welfare.
‘The action is just to instill discipline. Governor Willie Obiano has done a lot to make the work force happy and he feels that what they owe the administration in return is to be at their duty post when they should be at their duty post to reciprocate the gesture,’ he said.
Engr. Ifejiofor said that no staff member would be spared in the punishment, irrespective of position, disclosing that the list of the defaulting staff would be forwarded to the office of the Head of Service, while the Ministry would issue query.
‘Status does not matter; what matters is doing the right thing at the right time,’ the Commissioner concluded.
For her part, the Acting Deputy Director, Administration, Mrs. Emenike Stacia, said she saw no reason why the staff members would not be punctual to work as the service gave a grace period of 30 minutes after 8 o’clock. She decried the attitude of some of the workers who she described as perennial late comers and advised them to have a change of attitude.
Mrs. Stacia said appropriate punishment measures would be given to late comers. According to her, taking such measures would serve as a deterrent to others. She warned that truancy and late coming would no longer be tolerated.
This is the second time, the Commissioner would be locking out late comers.
