The House of Representatives in Nigeria has called for an investigation into the compulsory retirement policy for public servants who have served as directors for eight years. This decision followed a motion co-sponsored by House leaders Julius Ihonvbere, Kingsley Chinda, and Ishaya Lau during Thursday’s plenary session.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, urged the Head of Civil Service to immediately withdraw the July 2023 circular that enforced this retirement rule. Abbas stated, “The circular dated July 27, 2023, with Reference No. HCSF/SPO/268/T3/2/37, must be retracted to prevent the compulsory retirement of directors after eight years, regardless of their age or years of service.”
Leading the debate, Mr. Chinda argued that this directive conflicts with the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022. “The revised public service rules stipulate compulsory retirement for directors after eight years. This is in direct conflict with the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, which allows teachers to retire at 65 or after 40 years of service,” Chinda stated.
Chinda emphasized that it is counterproductive to force directors to retire prematurely when they have not reached the age of 65 or completed 40 years of service. He noted, “Directors in the Federal Ministry of Education and other departments who have not attained these retirement thresholds should not be forced out. It robs the nation of their valuable experience and expertise.”
The House recognized the significant contributions of these directors, who have developed their skills through years of hard work and training. “These directors have built capacity in relevant areas, and their forced retirement would negatively impact productivity in the public service and the economy at large,” Chinda added.
The lawmakers warned of the dire consequences of not complying with the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, stressing that the policy should be uniformly applied to avoid inconsistencies.
