Commercial and official activities around the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, remained sluggish on Monday, with a low turnout of workers as many civil servants were yet to fully resume duties following the Yuletide and New Year holidays.
The Federal Government had earlier declared Thursday, December 25, 2025 (Christmas Day), Friday, December 26, 2025 (Boxing Day), and Thursday, January 1, 2026 (New Year’s Day) as public holidays for the festive season.
Our reporter, who visited various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the Federal Capital Territory, observed that only a few workers were present at their duty posts as of 9:00 a.m.
At the Federal Ministries of Health and Education, a handful of staff were settling into their offices, while others engaged in light discussions.
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A similar scenario was observed at the Ministry of Justice, where senior officers held brief meetings with subordinates.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, activities were also low, with only a few courtrooms in session, although some departments recorded a partial resumption of duties.
Speaking to BusinessDay, a civil servant who preferred to remain anonymous said he resumed work early to attend to pending official assignments.
“I resumed by 8:30 a.m. to ensure continuity in our service delivery. We thank God for a peaceful holiday, and we are now back to our duties,” he said.
Another civil servant at the Ministry of Justice said the holiday provided an opportunity to rest and reconnect with family.
“I had a good rest and spent time with my family. Now it is time to return to work and serve the public,” she said.
However, observations at the Ministry of Education showed that most offices remained largely deserted, with only a few workers on the ground.
Some commercial banks had reopened, with staff attending to customers while security personnel manned the entrances, and commercial activities gradually picked up in the nation’s capital.
Findings at the Secretariat highlighted a noticeably low turnout of workers, with many government offices either partially occupied or completely deserted during official working hours.
BusinessDay observed that vehicular movement within the city was minimal, a sharp contrast to the usually busy atmosphere of the complex.
Traders and service providers around the Federal Secretariat lamented the slow pace of business.
Eleojo Isah, an Okpa seller, attributed the situation to the delayed return of workers and prevailing economic hardship.
“Workers never really come back on time; that is why the market no dey move. Even before Christmas, sales were poor. Customers are hard to find, and people complain that everything is expensive,” he said in Pidgin English.
A security guard at the Federal Secretariat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the Secretariat had remained unusually quiet for days.
“Normally, by this time, everywhere would be full, but there is no turnout. Even the market areas are almost empty. Today is already the 5th, and it should be more than this. By next week Monday, things should return to normal,” he said.
He recalled that motorists often struggled to find parking spaces within the Secretariat, but large parking areas were now largely empty.
Similarly, a Point-of-Sale (POS) attendant, Bose Aderibigbe, said her daily turnover had dropped significantly due to the low number of civil servants resuming work.
“Normally, by this time of the day, I would have made three times this amount because people withdraw money for transport. Today has been very slow. We are hoping that as the week goes on, more people will resume so business can pick up,” she said.
Observations also showed scant vehicular movement at key ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, with only a few vehicles visible around the premises as of 11 a.m.
Eze Onyekpere, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Justice, attributed the low turnout to several factors, including the unofficial extension of holidays by some civil servants, transportation challenges, and the high cost of travel after the festive season.
Onyekpere said economic pressures and the rising cost of living were also contributing factors. He noted that the situation negatively affected government productivity, leading to delays in administrative processes and limited service delivery to members of the public.
The development has raised concerns about discipline and commitment within the public service.
He emphasized the need for effective supervision and monitoring by senior officials, stressing that civil servants are expected to resume work promptly in line with public service rules.
He also called for improved staff welfare to reduce absenteeism after public holidays.
He noted that low attendance sends a negative signal about efficiency and seriousness in government institutions, which could erode public trust.
The expert urged the government to enforce attendance rules, apply sanctions where necessary, and introduce digital attendance systems to improve accountability and punctuality in the civil service.
Many traders and workers, however, remain optimistic that activities will return to normal by next week as offices fully reopen and civil servants resume work across the nation’s capital.
