JUST IN: FG demands proof of approval from workers on study leave

The Federal Government has demanded that Federal Civil Servants on study leave show evidence of approval obtained from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

This is as the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, noted that the Federal Government has now put in place a mechanism for routine verification of workers in the service in other to ascertain their “true” location.

This was made known in a memo addressed to all permanent secretaries and made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

The Federal Government had in August 2021 raised the alarm over civil servants applying for study leave with admission letters obtained from suspicious foreign universities.

Similarly in 2022, the government ordered that such workers be made to sign bonds in a bid to curtail the “abuse” of study leave by civil servants.

While addressing the new development alongside the need for physical verification, Yemi-Esan in the memo said, “As part of the efforts to sustain the gains of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System , it has become imperative to emplace a mechanism for regular physical verification of officers in the service.

“To this end, you are directed to carry out physical verification exercise of all staff in your ministry to ascertain the location of each officer.

“Officers who may be on study leave must show evidence of the approval of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to embark on such leave. This should be indicated in the remark column.

“The report of the exercise, to be signed by the permanent secretary, should be submitted to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service on or before 2nd April 2024.”