President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma as the new Minister of Housing and Urban Development at the State House. This appointment follows Dr. Darma's confirmation by the Senate and comes as part of a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.

President Tinubu emphasized the critical nature of the housing sector for national development and expressed confidence in Dr. Darma's experience to drive reforms. Dr. Darma holds a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool and a PhD in Industrial Engineering.

In a separate development, the Federal Government has approved an increase in allowances and welfare benefits for civil servants across Nigeria. The announcement was made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, following endorsement by the Federal Executive Council.

The reforms aim to boost take-home pay and improve welfare and productivity in the public sector. Peculiar allowances have been restructured for both junior and senior civil servants, with significant increases in earnings anticipated. Key allowances such as duty tour allowance (DTA), estacode, and book allowance have also been revised upwards.

A notable change is the approval of 100% DTA for civil servants attending training programmes, even if the training is conducted within their duty station. Additionally, a new exit benefit scheme has been approved for retiring civil servants under the Contributory Pension Scheme, aiming to provide adequate financial support post-retirement.