By Kebba AF Touray
The Minister for Public Service, Baboucarr Bouy, has informed Members of the National Assembly that the rent allowance for police officers has been increased by 15 percent.
Minister Bouy made the disclosure while responding to concerns raised by lawmakers during a recent adjournment debate at the National Assembly. He also clarified the status of the military’s pension deductions, linking them to the Military Personnel Pensions Act.
Addressing the issue of police housing allowances, Bouy explained that during the government’s salary revision exercise, police officers received a 100 percent increase in their transport allowance—rising from D1,500 to D3,000—as well as a 15 percent rent allowance based on their basic salary.
“If there is this D250 that appeared in any payslip in any office, it must be an error,” Bouy said, in response to concerns over inconsistencies in the rent allowance figures. “But as far as the salary revision is concerned, for the police, they have actually had a 100 percent transport allowance increase and also a 15 percent house rent on their basic salary.”
Turning to the issue of pension deductions for the military, Bouy confirmed that a 5 percent deduction had been made from army personnel salaries in January and February. However, he noted that the deductions were halted and refunded after it was confirmed that the military is governed by a separate pension scheme.
“They only got deducted in January and February, and when they raised the matter, we checked and realized that the army has got the Military Personnel Pension Act,” he said. “As a result, deductions stopped at the end of February and they now got refunded for the January and February 5 percent deductions.”
He added that, going forward, military personnel will not be part of the general pensions scheme enacted in 2022, instead, their pension and gratuity will be administered in accordance with the Military Personnel Pension Act.
