Nigerian government locks out snoozing employees

[September 01, 2010]  ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Snoozing Nigerian federal employees who reported late to work have gotten a rude awakening.

As part of a push to end tardiness, a number of federal offices in the nation's capital Abuja locked out hundreds of tardy workers Tuesday. The move is part of an ongoing government effort to end chronic late arrivals among employees in Africa's most populous nation.

The offices opened their doors an hour later to let the late employees in.

However, so-called "Africa time" still plagues government offices in the oil-rich nation of 150 million people. While ministries should be open at 8 a.m., many find operations still sluggish two hours later. Offices typically close at 4 p.m. -- or when the failing national power grid cuts out.

[Associated Press]

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