Anambra Government Abolishes Monday Sit-at-Home, Orders Schools to Open or Face Salary Sanctions

The Anambra State Government has formally abolished the long-standing Monday sit-at-home practice, issuing an Executive Order that mandates all schools and government offices to operate fully on Mondays with immediate effect.

The directive, conveyed in an official letter dated January 22, 2026, was signed by Loveline Mgbemena, Board Secretary of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board. It warned that any teacher or non-teaching staff who fails to report to work on Mondays will face strict financial penalties, including receiving only 20 per cent of their salary or forfeiting it entirely.

According to the letter, the decision followed deliberations at the state executive council retreat held on January 21, 2026, which was presided over by Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo. The government described the move as an executive decision aimed at ending the disruption caused by the prolonged observance of sit-at-home across the state.

Mgbemena directed permanent board members, zonal directors, officers in charge of the state’s 21 local government areas, and all departmental directors to immediately notify staff under their supervision and ensure full compliance with the order.

The circular, titled “Executive Order on Termination of Monday Sit-at-Home in Anambra State,” made it clear that both tutorial and non-tutorial staff are affected by the directive. It emphasized that failure to attend school or office on Mondays will attract severe salary deductions, reinforcing the government’s resolve to restore normal academic and administrative activities.

Monday sit-at-home in the South-East was initially declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in August 2021, demanding the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The group, through its Media and Public Secretary, Emma Powerful, had directed residents to restrict movement and ordered schools, markets, and motor parks to shut every Monday.

Although IPOB later announced the suspension of the sit-at-home directive, many residents in Anambra and other parts of the region have continued to observe it due to fear of violence and attacks by unidentified groups.

With this latest executive order, the Anambra State Government is taking a firm stance to enforce a return to normalcy, particularly in the education sector, signaling a renewed push to safeguard learning time and economic activities across the state.