By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Governor Charles Soludo has ordered the suspension of several civil servants in Anambra State following an unannounced visit to the State Secretariat in Awka.
The governor reportedly stormed the Secretariat at about 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, locked the main entrance gate, and carried out an on-the-spot inspection of offices within the complex.
During the visit, Soludo expressed shock that many workers had not resumed duty as of the time of his arrival.
“What would a civil servant be doing at this time, by 10 a.m., when he is supposed to be in the office?” the governor queried.
Following his observations, Soludo directed that a list of staff present at work be compiled, stating that those absent would face suspension. 
Confirming the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Christian Aburime, said the unscheduled visit was aimed at assessing staff punctuality, discipline, and overall commitment to public service.
“The unscheduled visit was conducted to evaluate staff conduct, punctuality, and overall dedication to public service,” Aburime said.
He added that during the inspection, the governor interacted directly with workers across ministries and departments to assess the prevailing work culture.
Providing an overview of the visit, Soludo described his findings as a mix of “the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
He, however, commended diligent workers who consistently uphold professional standards and adhere strictly to official working hours, describing them as critical to the success of his administration.
In a stern warning, the governor stated that underperforming staff who fail to align with his administration’s vision “will be shipped out.”
Addressing absenteeism and lateness, he stressed that those who violate time-keeping standards “will be pinned off,” declaring an end to indiscipline and poor work ethic in the civil service.
Soludo reiterated his commitment to building an efficient and results-driven civil service, anchored on key reforms including the deployment of technology, strengthened supervision and evaluation mechanisms, and continuous improvement of infrastructure at the Secretariat.
“We have invested quite a bit in this place,” the governor noted, referencing ongoing upgrades at the facility, while urging workers to reciprocate government’s efforts with improved productivity.
He emphasized that the visit signals a renewed push to transform the state’s bureaucracy into a high-performance system capable of delivering effective governance to the people of Anambra.
