The Anambra State Government has announced that it will commence pro-rata salary payments for civil servants from February 2026, a policy shift aimed at ending the long-standing Monday sit-at-home across the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, disclosed this on Saturday, January 24, during a press briefing in Awka. He said the decision was reached at the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council, which reviewed Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s first four years in office and outlined priorities for his new term beginning March 17, 2026.
According to Mefor, civil and public servants in the state have routinely stayed away from work on Mondays for the past four years, citing insecurity and transportation difficulties. He noted that the council concluded those conditions no longer exist and can no longer justify absenteeism.
“The workers were simply enjoying the sit-at-home because they knew they would be paid whether they came to work or not,” Mefor said. “Ordinarily, this would be treated as absenteeism, which is punishable under civil service rules. However, instead of dismissals, the government has chosen to introduce pro-rata payment.”
He added that mechanisms are being put in place to enforce compliance, including attendance registers for clocking in and out every Monday.
Mefor stressed that the persistent Monday shutdown has severely affected government productivity and the state’s economy. He said any day civil servants fail to report to work results in stalled government activities and unrecoverable revenue losses, particularly when key agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service are affected.
Describing the new salary structure as a fair and sustainable approach, the commissioner said the state cannot afford to “give up Mondays” or shift workdays to Saturdays, which he described as capitulating to the forces behind the sit-at-home.
He also revealed that discussions are ongoing with market leaders to ensure the full reopening of markets on Mondays, alongside continued efforts by the government to strengthen security and reassure traders.
Explaining how the new payment system will work, Mefor said salaries will be calculated based on 24 working days, with workers paid only for the days they are present. “Four years is enough. The economic losses from the sit-at-home run into trillions, according to an international firm. Implementation of this decision has already begun,” he said.
The development follows an earlier executive order by the state government abolishing Monday school closures. The directive warned that teachers and non-teaching staff who fail to report to work on Mondays risk losing 20 percent or all of their monthly salary. The order, dated January 22, 2026, was signed by Loveline Mgbemena, Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Board, and circulated to education administrators across the state.
