The Governor of Zambézia Province, Pio Matos, has called for the reinstatement of the location allowance for civil servants, a benefit that was removed as part of the implementation of the Unified Salary Table (TSU), arguing that its recovery is essential to guarantee better working conditions and safeguard the dignity of public servants — particularly those serving in areas far from major urban centres.

The position was expressed during a gala dinner marking Mozambican Teacher's Day on the 12th, at which the governor reiterated his commitment to continuing to advocate for the restoration of the allowance, which he described as a right of all civil servants.

According to O País, Pio Matos argued that the removal of the benefit has disproportionately affected workers posted to districts where access to certain services and opportunities is more limited, and stressed the need to recognise the differences in living conditions between rural areas and urban centres. "One of my strongest convictions is that we need to reclaim something that was taken away and that I believe is a right of every civil servant. And today I am speaking to teachers — it is the location allowance that must be reclaimed, it must return," the governor said.

Pio Matos cited the example of teaching in districts such as Chinde and Namarroi, noting that conditions there are not comparable to those of teaching in cities such as Quelimane or Maputo. In his view, civil servants posted to more remote regions face additional hardships, including limited access to higher education and other services available in urban centres — circumstances that justify the existence of financial compensation mechanisms.

The governor argues that the location allowance should serve to offset the difficulties associated with the deployment of professionals to regions with fewer public services and infrastructure, thereby helping to reduce inequalities among state employees. His position is shared by teachers in the province, who are also demanding the restoration of the benefit, the removal of which continues to generate concern among education sector professionals.

The demand comes against a backdrop of broader concerns among Zambézia's teachers over salary and working conditions, including the payment of overtime and the granting of incentives to teachers placed in hard-to-reach areas. The gala dinner also served as an occasion to honour teachers for their contribution to the education of generations and to the development of the province, with the presentation of certificates of recognition.

Despite the position taken by the governor, no timelines or concrete measures were announced for the reinstatement of the location allowance, whose eventual recovery will depend on decisions by the competent authorities.