DUTY AND COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
OUTSIDE NIGERIA AND LOCALLY
SECTION 1 - GENERAL
SECTION 2 – DUTY VISITS OUTSIDE NIGERIA
SECTION 3 – COURSES OF INSTRUCTION NIGERIA
SECTION 4 - LOCAL COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
SECTION 1- GENERAL
Application
16101 - This Chapter applies to occasions which officers are required with prior approval of Government:
- to undertake special duty abroad;
- to discharge official duties during vacation leave abroad;
- to be on a delegation or visit to an organization abroad for a short period;
- to undertake course of instruction abroad including attachment to an organization abroad.
In such an event, the officer shall be eligible for appropriate estacode allowance at the prevailing rates.
PROCEDURE
Obtaining Approval
16102 –
- Overseas tour by all Public Servants and estacode allowance payable shall be subject to the approval of the Head of Service on the recommendation of the Permanent Secretary/Head of Extra-Ministerial Department of the officer. In the case of other Public Officers, approval shall be obtained from the Governor or the Secretary to the State Government as the case may be.
- Before an officer on leave outside Nigeria undertakes official visit, prior approval of the Head of Service shall be obtained. The application for permission shall specify:
- details of the visit; duty or course proposed;
- why the visit, duty or course is considered warranted in the public interest;
- the appropriate duties on which it is proposed the officer should arrive in and depart from the country in which the duty or course is to be undertaken;
- the officer's address whilst absent from Nigeria;
- the probable duration of the duty or course;
- the total estimated cost including all travelling expenses, and fees (if any).
Briefing of officer
16103 - An Officer required to undertake duties or a course of instruction outside Nigeria must be furnished by his Permanent Secretary/Head of Extra-Ministerial Department with detailed instructions regarding such duties or course and be informed in advance and in writing of the allowances and travelling facilities for which he will be eligible at Government expense in connection therewith.
EFFECT ON LEAVE
Special duty visit
16104 - Where an officer is required during his vacation leave to undertake any duty, the period of duty will be leave-earning and not leave consuming. A period of duty outside Nigeria during an officer's tour will be regarded as part of his tour See also Rule 13113).
Course of instruction
16105 - The normal effect on the amount of leave due to an officer of his attending a course of instruction during his vacation leave is specified in Rule 13113.
SECTION 2 - DUTY VISITS OUTSIDE NIGERIA
16201 - An officer on duty visit outside Nigeria shall be granted the following:
- Passages: Air passage for himself only; but where the duration of an officer's duties is not less than 9 months, his wife may accompany him at Government expense.
- Transport: Re-imbursement of actual expenditure or transport essential to the business of the visit.
- Estacode allowance at the following rates:
Commissioner
Secretary to State Government = US$300 per night
Head of Service
Permanent Secretary = US$260 per night
Officers on GL. 16 = US$240 per night
Officers on GL. 14 and 15 = US$205 per night
Officers on GL. 10 – 13 = US$145 per night
Officers on GL. 07 – 09 = US$105 per night
Junior Officers on GL. 01 – 06 = US$65 per night
Non-official members of
Government delegation = US$200 per night
Where, however, the cost of accommodation or hotel expenses of an officer travelling abroad is met by the host Government or institution, such officer shall be entitled to subsistence allowance at the approved rates per night.
DISCHARGING DUTIES DURING VACATION LEAVE
Away from normal place of residence
16202 - An officer who, with prior approval of Government, discharges official duties during vacation leave outside Nigeria and who is obliged to take accommodation away from his normal place of residence or home, will be treated as proceeding to such a destination on duty visit and will be eligible for duty allowance abroad as indicated in Rule 16201 so long as no accommodation is provided at Government expense at such a destination.
AT OR NEAR PLACE OF RESIDENCE
Refund of daily travelling expenses abroad
16203 - An officer for whom accommodation is provided who, with the prior approval of Government, discharges official duties during his vacation leave outside Nigeria is eligible for a refund of daily travelling expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of such duties plus a daily subsistence allowance at the appropriate rate.
SECTION 3 - COURSES OF INSTRUCTION OUTSIDE NIGERIA
Condition
**16301 **- An officer who is permitted to attend a course of instruction is eligible for the benefits set out in this section provided that he has signed an agreement to refund to Government all expenses connected therewith if he:
- does not obtain a certificate of satisfactory attendance at the course, or
- does not return to Nigeria, or
- undertakes any other course of instruction without the specific approval of Government, or
- resigns from the Abia State Civil Service within a period of three years of his completing such a course
Passages
16302 - A Senior officer sent overseas on a course of instruction will be eligible for free air passage for himself only; but where the duration of the course of instruction is not less than nine months, his spouse may accompany him at Government expense.
16303 - Special rates of allowances, etc are prescribed from time to time for certain courses of instruction, and they apply to all officers attending the courses in question.
Courses with special rates
16304 - Officers who with the prior approval of Government attend courses of instruction (other than one to which Rule 16303 applies) are entitled to be paid the difference between their normal estacode allowance and the allowances/Facilities offered by the donor country where the latter is lower than the official estacode.
Overseas employment during Training courses
16305 - An officer undergoing a training course overseas who receives a salary from an employer in the overseas country will not be eligible for any salary or allowance from the Abia State Government except as may be specifically approved by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishment, Training and Pensions.
EXTERNALLY-ASSISTED COURSES
Definition
**16306 **- Where training facilities under a foreign Government's technical assistance scheme is required, all application forms for the nomination of candidates will be forwarded to the Abia State Planning Commission for processing.
Condition
16307 - Officers attending courses of instruction under a technical assistance scheme will continue to receive their salaries and all other conditions of service will be decided in accordance with the existing arrangements between the donor government and the Abia State Government.
Certain courses to be grantee as leave without pay
16308 - Where an officer is permitted on the recommendation of his Permanent Secretary/Head of Extra-Ministerial Department to take a course of instruction at the officer's own request, special condition may be imposed. These conditions will be decided by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishments, Training and Pensions and may include the grant of leave without pay and the withdrawal of all or any of the allowances or other privileges prescribed in this Chapter. In such cases it is the responsibility of the Permanent Secretary/Head of Extra-Ministerial Department to inform the officer in writing, before his departure, of the conditions which have been decided.
SECTION 4 - LOCAL COURSES OF INSTRUCTIONS
Definition
16401 - Local course of instruction is a course which an officer takes locally in Nigeria but outside his own station.
16402 - An officer attending a local course of instruction at any state or Federal Training Centre, University or other approved Public Service Training Institution is eligible for training allowance as follows:
- For courses exceeding 28 days and where boarding and lodging are, not provided by the Training Institution concerned, Officers will be entitled to allowances at the following rates:
GL. 16 = ₦1,500.00 per day for the first 28 days
GL. 14 – 15 = ₦1000.00 per day for the first 28 days
GL. 12 – 13 = ₦500.00 per day for the first 28 days
GL. 07 – 10 = ₦300.00 per day for the first 28 days
GL. 01 – 06 = ₦200.00 per day for the first 28 days
- For courses not exceeding 28 days, officers will be entitled to allowances at the following rates:
GL. 16 = ₦1,500.00 per day
GL. 14 – 15 = ₦900.00 per day
GL. 12 – 13 = ₦400.00 per day
GL. 07 – 10 = ₦200.00 per day
GL. 01 – 06 = ₦150.00 per day
- Where the training institution provides only accommodation in which the trainee must reside, officers will be entitled to 75% of the rates at (a) or (b) above.