The federal government has frozen two ad hoc relief allowances for government employees, keeping the 2023 and 2024 allowance rates unchanged for existing staff while defining the applicable rates for new recruits, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance.

In an office memorandum on the revision of basic pay and allowances for federal government employees, the ministry said the ad hoc relief allowance 2023 would remain frozen at the level applicable on June 30, 2023, and would not be increased until further orders.

The ministry said employees in grades 1 to 16 would continue to receive an allowance equal to 35% of their basic pay, while those in grades 17 to 22 would receive 30% of their basic pay under the 2023 ad hoc relief allowance.

The memorandum also stated that the ad hoc relief allowance-2024 would remain frozen at the level applicable on June 30, 2026. Employees in grades 1 to 16 would receive 25% of their basic pay, while those in grades 17 to 22 would receive 20% of their basic pay under the allowance.