By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
DELTA: The Delta State government has placed restrictions on overseas study leave for civil servants, mandating that officers pursue courses available in Nigerian universities instead. The move aims to curb abuses of study leave privileges and ensure that public servants contribute effectively to the state’s workforce.
A circular issued by the Delta State Civil Service Commission and signed by its permanent secretary, Mr. Frederick Yoro, stated that many civil servants granted study leave abroad either fail to return or resign without fulfilling their obligations to the state. This, according to the government, has led to a loss of skilled personnel and wasted public funds.
“To address this issue, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has directed that civil servants seeking study leave must enroll in Nigerian institutions if their courses of interest are available locally. Furthermore, officers studying abroad will no longer receive salaries during their period of study,” the circular read.
The government also announced stricter conditions for granting study leave, including mandatory bond agreements requiring beneficiaries to serve the state for a specified period after completion of their studies. Officers will also be required to submit annual progress reports, while ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) must enforce compliance.
Senior officials in MDAs will be held accountable for any lapses, with the government warning that they could face sanctions if public funds are used to pay salaries of officers who do not return from study leave. The administration emphasized that the policy is necessary to instill discipline and prevent a drain on the state’s human resources.
The new directive has sparked mixed reactions among civil servants, with some welcoming the policy as a way to ensure accountability, while others argue it could limit access to specialized training opportunities not available in Nigeria. However, government officials maintain that the reform is in the best interest of the state’s development.