The Lagos State Government has raised concerns over the growing trend of civil servants absconding after being sponsored for overseas training.
The Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Afolabi Ayantayo, on Tuesday disclosed that 30 per cent of state-sponsored beneficiaries do not return to the country upon completion of their programmes.
Ayantayo made the revelation during the ongoing annual Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
The briefing is part of activities marking the second year in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.
The commissioner lamented that although the government remains committed to human capital development, with over 23,000 workers trained between May 2022 and December 2024, many civil servants take advantage of these opportunities to permanently relocate abroad.
“Out of those sent abroad for training, only 70 per cent returned. The rest abscond in search of greener pastures,” Ayantayo said.
He added that over 185 training programmes had been conducted during the period under review, cutting across various cadres and skills relevant to public service delivery. Also, about 8,000 staff received approval for study leave.
Ayantayo further highlighted the state’s investment in welfare, including a N35,000 wage award and a review of the minimum wage.
In the health sector, he noted the disbursement of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), rural allowances for healthcare workers, and bonus packages for staff at the Lagos State College of Medicine.
However, the commissioner declined to disclose details of severance allowances paid to political appointees and elected officials, stating only that the payments were in line with federal guidelines.
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