The Federal Government has approved an upward review of Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), estacode, and book allowances for civil servants, alongside the introduction of a new exit benefit scheme for retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme. Announcing the measures in Abuja on Friday, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, said the government also approved a 100 per cent DTA for federal workers attending approved training programmes, irrespective of location.
Mrs Walson-Jack explained that the newly introduced exit package provides that retiring civil servants will receive “100 per cent of their total annual emoluments” in addition to their pension benefits.
She noted that the revised allowances would apply to employees under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), covering all cadres within the federal civil service.
The allowances, DTA for local official travel, estacode for foreign assignments, and book allowance for research and academic needs, serve as key components of welfare and operational support, ensuring public servants are not burdened by the costs of official duties.
The review follows longstanding concerns over the erosion of these allowances due to inflation, exchange rate volatility, and rising living costs, with many workers previously reporting that the rates were outdated and insufficient for official travel and professional development.