The Anambra State Government has formally abolished the long-running Monday sit-at-home across the state, warning that civil servants who fail to report for duty risk losing up to 80 per cent of their salaries or forfeiting them entirely.
The directive, which takes immediate effect, was conveyed in a statement issued by the Board Secretary of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Mgbemena Loveline, following the State Executive Council retreat held on January 21, 2026, and presided over by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
According to the statement, all workers — both teaching and non-teaching staff — are mandated to resume full duties on Mondays, with strict enforcement measures in place to ensure compliance.
“Any staff who fails to attend school or office on Mondays will either receive 20 per cent of his or her salary or forfeit it entirely,” the statement read, adding that heads of departments had been directed to circulate the order and ensure total compliance.
The move marks the government’s most decisive step yet to dismantle a practice that has crippled commercial and social life in the state for years.
The weekly sit-at-home, originally imposed by non-state actors in the South-East, often forced markets, schools, banks and transport services to shut down, leaving streets deserted and livelihoods disrupted.
Major commercial centres such as Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka were among the worst affected, with traders and transport operators reporting heavy losses as residents stayed indoors out of fear of attacks and reprisals.
Speaking in recent engagements, Governor Soludo said the continuation of the sit-at-home had no security justification and posed a serious threat to Anambra’s economic recovery and investment climate.
“This state is open for business,” the governor had declared, urging residents to ignore unlawful directives and resume normal activities, stressing that security agencies had regained control of public spaces.
In April 2022, Soludo had previously announced an end to the sit-at-home and offered amnesty to youths willing to renounce violence, alongside the establishment of peace and reconciliation committees to engage stakeholders and federal authorities on detained persons.
However, compliance remained uneven as many residents continued to observe Mondays indoors out of caution.
Lawmakers, business leaders and civil society groups have consistently decried the shutdown, describing it as a major setback to productivity, education and internally generated revenue.
Schools in particular have struggled with lost instructional time, while hospitals and essential services have also faced disruptions.
With the latest directive, the government appears determined to restore full economic and social normalcy.
“The above is an executive decision of the state government,” the statement stressed, signalling zero tolerance for further defiance.
Security agencies have also reportedly been placed on heightened alert to ensure safe movement across the state on Mondays, as authorities intensify efforts to reassure residents and investors that Anambra is secure for business and daily life.
The government expressed optimism that the abolition of the sit-at-home would boost confidence, revive commerce and accelerate development across the state’s major cities and rural communities alike.
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