Jigawa Map.
Civil servants in Jigawa State have declined to return to work after the Christmas holidays declared by the Federal Government. Visits to the State Secretariat and offices of other government agencies observed that most civil servants didn’t report back to work as of Wednesday.
The Federal Government has declared Monday and Tuesday as work-free days to celebrate Christmas.
It was observed that Kiyawa Road, usually bustling, was unusually empty compared to regular workdays. Some restaurants were closed, while others offered limited services. Khadija, a restaurant owner, mentioned that this situation is typical during mid-week breaks.
She explained that the restaurant operates at half capacity as many civil servants travel and may not return until the following week. Malam Musa, a civil servant, noted that when public holidays fall in the middle of the week, the entire week tends to be inactive as many civil servants delay their return until the following week.
“The transport fare is costly and even when you resume you may not find anything to do.
“People are suffering and the government still does nothing to cushion the pain people are going through, no minimum wage, no wage award, no palliative,” the civil servant added.