Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has approved a set of palliative measures for public servants in the state, including a weekly day off duty and a N10,000 monthly transport allowance, as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and the increasing cost of living on the state's workforce.
The measures, which will run for three months beginning in April 2026, were announced in a statement issued by the State Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya, who said the initiative was designed to ease the financial burden on workers grappling with high transportation costs following the recent hike in the pump price of fuel.
Under the arrangement, each eligible worker will observe one day off per week in addition to receiving the N10,000 special transport allowance monthly throughout the three-month period. Onasanya explained that the policy was intended not only to provide direct financial relief for workers facing commuting challenges, but also to boost productivity by creating a more motivated and less financially stressed public service workforce.
The Head of Service, however, noted that certain categories of workers would be exempted from the weekly day-off arrangement owing to the critical and indispensable nature of their duties. Those exempted include medical personnel, judicial staff, teaching and non-teaching staff across all levels of education, security personnel, Accounting Officers, Heads of Departments, and other officers whose responsibilities require their continuous physical presence at their duty posts. Onasanya stressed that despite being excluded from the day-off benefit, these workers would still qualify for and receive the N10,000 monthly transport allowance, ensuring that no segment of the public service was entirely left out of the palliative package.
He further disclosed that Accounting Officers in the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies would be responsible for determining which specific day of the week eligible workers in their respective establishments would take off, with the directive that the arrangement must be managed in a manner that ensures uninterrupted service delivery to the public at all times.
Onasanya commended the governor for what he described as a timely and thoughtful intervention, saying the measures demonstrated Abiodun's genuine concern for the welfare of the state's workforce in the face of prevailing economic pressures. He urged workers to reciprocate the gesture by showing renewed commitment, discipline and enhanced performance in their respective roles, adding that the government's action should serve as a motivation for greater productivity across the public service.
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