Reps move to raise retirement age of N/Assembly officers to 65

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives Tuesday passed through second reading a bill seeking to raise the retirement age of staff of the National Assembly to 65 years.
Titled “A bill for an act to make provisions for the retirement age for staff of National Assembly Service and for related matters”, is sponsored by Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano).
Hon. Aliyu Madaki moved for the second reading of the bill and it was seconded by Hon. Boma Goodhead (PDP, Rivers).
While leading debate on the bill, Hon. Madaki stated that the bill seeks to make provision for a harmonised retirement age for staff of the National Assembly and make it independent. It proposes a retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service, whichever comes first.
He stated that this extension will help for the efficiency of work of the professionalised staff of the National Assembly.
Supporting the motion, Hon. Ali Isa (PDP, Gombe) in supporting the bill stated that it will maintain the specialised experience of staff in the National Assembly. He stated that the NLC has also called for this extension across board which is already in practice in many parts of the world.
Also speaking in favour of the motion, Hon. Abdullahi Rasheed praised the bill as it will boost the morale of the staff of the National Assembly and ensure they deliver on the complex nature of the services they render.