ABEOKUTA – In a strategic move to alleviate the economic pressures facing the state’s workforce, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved a new welfare package including a N10,000 monthly transport allowance and a mandatory weekly day off for civil servants.
The intervention, which officially takes effect this April 2026, is designed to provide immediate “succour” to government employees grappling with the surging costs of transportation and the general hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) nationwide.
A Two-Pronged Relief Strategy
The Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, who announced the development in a statement on Thursday, detailed that the measures are slated for an initial period of three months.
Under the new directive, the N10,000 “Special Transport Allowance” will serve as a cash palliative to buffer the impact of inflation on take-home pay. Simultaneously, the introduction of a work-from-home or day-off schedule aims to reduce the frequency of commuting, thereby saving workers significant costs on transportation.
“This intervention is expected to provide much-needed relief for our workers while maintaining a focus on sustained productivity within the civil service,” Onasanya stated.
Essential Duties and Administrative Guidelines
To ensure that the machinery of government continues to run efficiently, the Head of Service clarified that the weekly day-off arrangement is not universal. Specific sectors deemed “essential” are exempted from the work reprieve to prevent a breakdown in public services. These include:
- Medical and Health Personnel
- Judicial Staff
- Teachers
- Security Personnel
- Heads of Departments and Accounting Officers
While these categories of workers will remain on a full-week schedule, they are fully eligible to receive the N10,000 monthly transport allowance.
Implementation and Call for Dedication
The specific day off for eligible workers will be determined by the Accounting Officers in various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This decentralised approach is intended to ensure that no government office is left completely unstaffed on any given workday.
Mr. Onasanya lauded Governor Abiodun for the “timely and gracious” intervention, noting that Ogun remains at the forefront of worker-friendly policies in the region. He called on the state’s teeming workforce to reciprocate the Governor’s gesture through “improved dedication, efficiency, and professional conduct” in the discharge of their duties.
The announcement comes amidst a broader national conversation regarding the adequacy of current wage structures in the face of persistent inflationary trends in Nigeria’s energy and food sectors.
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