President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih decided on Tuesday to pay a 35 percent allowance to local council staff starting next month.
President's Office spokesman Miuvan Mohamed said council staff had concerns about their exclusion when the 35 percent allowance was assured for all employees of government institutions in May.
To address the concerns, the president decided to provide the allowance to council staff with effect in October, he said.
The president considered complaints and believed that depriving council staff of the allowance was an obstacle to the work of frontline employees who provide decentralized public services.
"He believed that it would be best to arrange for council employees to receive this allowance," Miuvan said.
Last week, the president revised the health sector's pay structure to ensure that nurses and medical officers also receive an attendance allowance.
