FG Increases Scrutiny For Public Servants Applying For Studies In Suspicious Foreign Institutions

THE Federal Government has raised the alarm over civil servants
who apply for study leave using admission letters obtained from
suspicious foreign universities.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Folasade
Yemi-Esan disclosed this on Friday in a circular directing
permanent secretaries and heads of agencies to increase the
existing requirements before granting their staff study leave.

The circular, which was entitled ‘Additional Requirements for
Officers Seeking Approval for Study Leave,’ was marked
HCSF/3065/Vol.1 /99.

“In an effort to check this ugly development, the additional
criterion has been added to the extant requirements for seeking
approval for study leave,” she said.

Esan said staff of government agencies seeking to embark on
study leave would obtain a letter from the Ministry of Education to
confirm the authenticity of the institution.

“Specifically, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDA,
seeking approval for study leave for their staff must attach a
letter from the Federal Ministry of Education confirming that the
institution from which the admission is obtained is recognised by
the host country and the Federal Government of Nigeria and the
programmes are not sub-standard.

“Kindly note that the Federal Ministry of Education has been
informed of this development. Accordingly, any request without the
confirmation letter from the ministry will not be processed,” the
circular read.

In March, Yemi-Esan had instituted a committee with a mandate to
stem sharp practices and fraud in the enrolment of civil servants
on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System
(IPPIS).

The IPPIS enrolled 446,002 federal staff captured in the IPPIS,
with 77,651 from the core civil service and 368,351 from the public
service.

THE Federal Government has raised the alarm over civil servants
who apply for study leave using admission letters obtained from
suspicious foreign universities.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Folasade
Yemi-Esan disclosed this on Friday in a circular directing
permanent secretaries and heads of agencies to increase the
existing requirements before granting their staff study leave.

The circular, which was entitled ‘Additional Requirements for
Officers Seeking Approval for Study Leave,’ was marked
HCSF/3065/Vol.1 /99.

“In an effort to check this ugly development, the additional
criterion has been added to the extant requirements for seeking
approval for study leave,” she said.

Esan said staff of government agencies seeking to embark on
study leave would obtain a letter from the Ministry of Education to
confirm the authenticity of the institution.

“Specifically, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDA,
seeking approval for study leave for their staff must attach a
letter from the Federal Ministry of Education confirming that the
institution from which the admission is obtained is recognised by
the host country and the Federal Government of Nigeria and the
programmes are not sub-standard.

“Kindly note that the Federal Ministry of Education has been
informed of this development. Accordingly, any request without the
confirmation letter from the ministry will not be processed,” the
circular read.

In March, Yemi-Esan had instituted a committee with a mandate to
stem sharp practices and fraud in the enrolment of civil servants
on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System
(IPPIS).

The IPPIS enrolled 446,002 federal staff captured in the IPPIS,
with 77,651 from the core civil service and 368,351 from the public
service.