By Majeed Salaam
The federal government has approved an increase in key allowances for civil servants and introduced a new exit benefit scheme for retiring workers under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Announcing the decisions recently in Abuja, Mrs. Didi Walson Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), said that the approvals cover Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), Estacode, and Book Allowance for workers across all cadres within the federal civil service. The review applies to employees under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS).
Mrs. Walson-Jack stated that the government has approved a 100 percent Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) for federal workers attending approved training programmes, regardless of location. She added that the adjustment is part of measures to support official assignments and training activities.
She also announced the introduction of a new exit benefit scheme for civil servants under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). According to her, retiring workers will receive 100 percent of their total annual emoluments as an exit package, in addition to their pension benefits under the CPS.
Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) is paid to public officials undertaking official assignments within Nigeria, particularly outside their duty stations, to cover accommodation, feeding, and incidental expenses. Estacode is the foreign equivalent, paid in foreign currency to officials on international assignments to cover accommodation, transportation, meals, and related costs.
Book Allowance is a periodic payment granted mainly to officers in research, academic, and allied institutions to support the acquisition of books, journals, and other professional materials.
The allowances form part of the welfare and operational support framework for civil servants. Prior to the latest review, stakeholders had raised concerns about the adequacy of DTA and Estacode rates in relation to prevailing costs of travel and accommodation, as well as the rising cost of professional materials covered by Book Allowance.
Mrs. Walson-Jack also said that the revised allowances and the new exit benefit scheme are applicable across the federal civil service structure. She noted that the measures are part of ongoing efforts to review welfare provisions for public sector workers.
The federal government did not disclose the specific monetary values for the revised allowances but indicated that the adjustments will take effect in line with existing administrative processes.
