ABAKALIKI, JULY 8, 2016 – Workers in many public and private institutions in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi capital on Friday resumed normal activities at the end of the three-day public holidays declared by the Federal Government to mark the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
Also banks and other financial institutions, which closed for business, have resumed operations.
Business and other commercial activities in the town which slowed down during the period had come alive as work resumed throughout the state.
At the state secretariat along Amagu Street and the Office of the Head of Service at Nnorom, workers reported to their respective ministries as early as 7:30 a.m. and were seen cleaning and dusting their offices.
Places visited by a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria were Ministries of Education, Agriculture, Commerce and Industry
Some of the workers, who spoke, said that the holidays afforded them the opportunity to attend to their private businesse, while others said that they used it to travel outside their stations.
Messrs Ugochukwu Ibiam, Chris Elom and Kenneth Okoro, in separate interviews thanked the government for declaring the public holidays.
They said that the period had given them opportunity to attend to their private businesses.
Ibiam said: “I used the period to travel to the hinterland to see my parents and other family members and also the period afforded workers enough time to rest.’’
Elom and Okoro said that the holidays provided them enough time to visit family friends as well as enjoy with their Muslim friends.
They commended the police and other security operatives for ensuring adequate security in Abakaliki throughout the festive period.
“We enjoyed the public holidays. The period provided enough opportunity to visit family friends as well as time to celebrate the occasion with our Muslim friends.
“Also we wish to commend the Nigerian Police for ensuring adequate security in the capital city throughout the period,” they said.
Meanwhile, banks in Abakaliki were jammed with anxious depositors jostling to make cash withdrawals after the holidays.
Some customers, mostly civil servants, who spoke to NAN, said that they were at the banks to make withdrawals and rush back to their offices.
They said they travelled outside the capital city and had expended all the money they had.
Messrs Cosmas Eke, Jerome Agada and Kingsley Igbo, among others, who spoke to NAN separately from their different banks, said that they were at the banks to withdraw money having exhausted the one they had.
“The crowd at both the ATMs and the banking hall is intimidating, but we don’t have any option than to wait for our turn,” they said.
The Federal Government earlier declared Tuesday July 5 and Wednesday July 6, 2016 as public holidays to mark the Muslim festival of Eid-el Fitr.
However, the holiday was extended to Thursday July 7.
