In total observation of the NCDC recommended protocols, all categories of Enugu State workers resumed work Monday after four months Covid-19 induced forced holidays.
The workers were directed to close their offices on March 23, 2020, and have been at home since then but receiving their wages as at when due.
In preparatory for the resumption, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ordered for total decontamination of the State Secretariat which was bubbling with human activities on Monday with the resumption.
Though levels 14 and 12 workers had earlier resumed about two months ago, the resumption of the other levels has brought the state workforce to full swing.
However missing, due to the covid-19 protocols, was the hugging and handshaking which usually followed such reunion.
It was noticed that all the workers complied with the NCDC protocols of wearing face mask, with some of clutching their sanitizer in their hands as they moved into their offices which had earlier been rearranged to maintain the necessary physical distancing.
The resumption however brought with it the usual morning gridlock in some major streets in Enugu city such as Ebeano tunnel, Okpara Avenue, Holy Ghost, Old Park, Trans-Ekulu road, as the workers headed to their offices.
At the secretariat, the State head of service was busy overseeing that the workers settled down well and in line with the approved protocols as earlier advised by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who warned the all the returning civil servants to observe the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control protocols for containment of the spread of coronavirus disease including handwashing with soap, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, compulsory use of face shield/mask and maintaining social distancing.
Anaedoonline.ng, however, observed that there was no provision of water and detergent the hand washing machine at the entrance gate for as directed by the State Government.
The State Chief Information Officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Egbo expressed surprise over the non-availability of the machine at the gate today, saying that hand washing machine has been working perfectly before now at the gate.
Mr. Egbo, said that the Ministry of water resource and state water cooperation has provided those machines in many other places around the state, such as Parklane Hospital, isolation centres, market places, Schools in collaboration with state government to containing spread of COVID-19.
“Non-working of wash hand machine is just negligence of work. It might be water that has finished. It was functioning on Wednesday when I left office.
The ministry of water resource has provided the machine to a different office and establishment to help in containing the spread of COVID-19.
A junior staff, who claimed anonymity, expressed satisfactory over the resumption of work today, saying that the four months lockdown was like hell. “I am happy we resumed work today.
The four months lockdown has been very difficult for us to copy but because of the reasons behind the lockdown, we handed everything to God.
“It is as if today is our first day in the office. Today is all about greetings to colleagues. We are waiting for our directors to direct us on what to do”, he said.
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