NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero
By Isaac Daniel
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has appealed to the Federal Government to upgrade public servants’ retirement age in the civil service to 65 years with 40 years of service.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of NLC, made the demand during his speech at the 2023 Workers’ May Day celebration in Abuja, FCT, on Monday.
Comrade Ajaero, said that the new retirement age for civil service will enhance excellence in the the Nigerian public service. He also called for general reform of civil servants’ salaries to bridge the wide gap in other civil servants’ emoluments and other segments of the civil service.
He added that the upward extension of years of retirement should go round to all sectors as already practiced in almost every other sectors of the Nigerian civil service in the country.
“Only few other establishments, including the core civil service, are now left out. We are, therefore, demanding that the age of retirement and length of service in the entire public service, including the civil service, be reviewed upward to 65 years of age and 40 years of service,” he said.
Comrade Ajaero, later lamented that the NLC had, over the years, demanded for salary review but are yet to receive Federal Government’s favourable reply till date”
“It is necessary to recall that we have continued over the years to demand that the salaries of core civil servants be beefed up to narrow the gap between their emoluments and those in other segments of the public service.
“They all possess the same educational qualifications and cognate experience on the job. So why the disparity?” Ajaero he asked.
On gratuity payment, the NLC President said the Union leaders had, on several occasions, presented the issue to the government without any positive response.
“Fellow comrades, we have consistently presented the issue of gratuity payment to the government but nothing has been done in that regard, he decried.
“As you are all aware, the concept of gratuity payment to employees is predicated on the fact that those who have laboured for public institutions or private enterprises are entitled to the proverbial golden handshake from their employers.
“Thus, gratuity is a monetary benefit given by an employer to his/her employee at the time of retirement without the worker making any financial contribution whatsoever to the fund,” he said.
The NLC President, explained that such handsome financial reward will immensely assist retirees fund any post-retirement
projects of their choice after active service.
“The Pension Act did not abolish gratuity payment and we demand its restoration in many public sectors where it has been stopped, ” the labour leader vehemently stated.
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