The Lagos State Government has dismissed recent media reports suggesting that 30 percent of its employees failed to return after participating in government-sponsored overseas training programmes, describing the claims as misleading and inaccurate.
EpeInsights reports that the Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, in a statement clarified that the figures being circulated pertain not to officially sponsored personnel, but to public servants who were granted study leave without pay for personal academic pursuits abroad.
Mr. Ayantayo issued the clarification following interpretations of his remarks at a recent ministerial press briefing marking the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.
“We need to make an important distinction,” the Commissioner stated. “The individuals being referred to are those who applied for and were granted study leave without pay, often to pursue personal academic programmes abroad—not Civil Servants sent on official training programmes.”
He noted that some of these individuals failed to return to the State’s service after their studies, a trend the government is actively monitoring.
However, he emphasized that these cases are not representative of employees sent on capacity-building programmes officially sponsored by the state.
According to Ayantayo, mechanisms are in place to regulate and strengthen policies around study leave, including post-leave return monitoring and bonding measures to ensure accountability.
“Efforts are ongoing to ensure accountability across all categories of personnel development,” he said.
“This includes robust frameworks for tracking returnees and enforcing obligations where necessary.”
The Commissioner reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to human capital development, stressing that a majority of officials sent on government-sponsored trainings, both locally and abroad, return and contribute significantly to enhancing service delivery in the public sector.
