NASS workers want  extension of retirement age to 65 years

Workers at the National Assembly under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, have called for the extension of their retirement to 65 years of age or 40 years of service.

Retirement age in the federal civil service is 60 years or 35 years in service, whichever comes first.

In a statement on Thursday by Chairman of the Association, Sunday Sabiyi, the group has called on the Senate to pass the workers’ demand into law, adding that the extension of number of service years or retirement age was expedient as there was a dearth of qualified staff in the Legislature resulting from interruption of democracy by Nigeria’s military.

Recall that the Senate last week threw out the controversial retirement bill that seeks to extend the retirement of the National Assembly staff to 65 years of age or 40 years of service, whichever comes first and across the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

Majority of Senators heavily opposed the bill when it was brought out for discussion as concurrence by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, just as they argued that it will stop the career progression of junior staff and halt employment of young Nigerians

Following the voices against the bill by the Senators, the Senate had no option than to step down the controversial bill.

The bill if passed, would extend the service years of over 200 workers who are due to retire between 2024 and 2026, of which the current Clerk, Sani Tambuwal, would have been the first beneficiary.

The proposed legislation is titled: “A bill for an Act to make provisions for the retirement age of staff of National Assembly Service and for other related Matters, 2024.”

Meanwhile, the Bill has again been listed in today’s Order Paper as the only Bill for Concurrence by the Senators.

Sabiyi further said that the legislature, which has always been the victim in the event of military takeover of government, has been affected by instability in the career progression of its workers.”

He said, “You will please, recall that the 8” National Assembly by resolution passed the National Assembly Service . Staff Regulations 2019 extending the retirement age for Staff of the National Assembly Service to 65 years of age or 40 years of Service whichever is earlier, and was printed in the Official Gazette No. 24, 2019.

“Consequently, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria viewed that the said Condition of Service was inconsistent with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 and the Public Service Rules and rejected the same considering that the extension of Service can only be archived by way of passing a Bill into law.

“Upon the constitution and subsequent inauguration of the National Assembly Service Commission in 2020, the union registered an official protest to the Commission against the said Condition of Service. After several consultations with the leadership of the 9 National Assembly, the Commission met and issued a reverse Condition of Service effective 17” July 2020 which repealed the extension of the years of service.

” The Harmonised Retirement Age for Staff of Legislative Houses in Nigeria Bill was later introduced by the 9° Houses of Representatives but was not passed due to concerns raised by Honourable Members on the powers of the National Assembly to legislate for the Houses of Assembly and Local Government legislative Houses.

“Accordingly, Mutatis Mutandis, the 10° House of Representatives introduced the Harmonised Retirement Age for Staff of National Assembly Service in Nigeria Bill, 2023 which was overwhelmingly supported by the entire Members of the House of Representatives, passed and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence pursuant to Order Twelve Rule 11 (5) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.

” The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria being the Labour Union under the highest law-making organ in democratic governance convened its congress, deliberated on the Bill, voted and passed a resolution in support of the Bill as Passed by the House of Representatives without a single descending voice from any member.

“The Union noted with utter dismay the undemocratic actions of some Staff who went around and misled Senators that the majority of Staff were not in support of the Bill when the piece of legislation was slated for consideration in the Senate. For clarity, the Congress resolution was presented to the Leadership of the Senate and all Distinguished Senators for their information and guidance.

“Therefore, we respectfully urge the Leadership of the Senate and all Distinguished Senators to please disregard the false claims and pass the Bill as there is a dearth of qualified staff in the Legislative Arm of Government due to the interruption of democracy in Nigeria, the Legislature which has always been the victim has been affected by instability in the career progression of its staff. The few trained officers are also caught up with the Public Service Rules, thereby creating a vacuum and shortage of qualified manpower in the Legislative Service. Hence, the need to increase the retirement age as proposed in the Bill to fill the vacuum and maximize the knowledge and experience acquired by the few staff and buiid the capacity of the young staff of the National Assembly Service in Nigena

“Considering the importance of Legislative Service as a specialized Service globally. the oassage of the Bill into Law will strengthen the legislature and bring it in conformity with international best practices as an Arm of Government as similar legislation is provided by other Arms of Government which includes: (a) Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022 which provides that “Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier *.

(b)Retirement age of Staff of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education (Harmonisation) Act, 2012 which provides that “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Pensions Act, the compulsory retiring age of an academic staff of polytechnics and Colleges of Education shall be sixty-five years”. (c) Universities Miscellaneous Provision (Amendment) Act, 2012, which provides for 70 years of retirement age for University Professors and 65 years for non-academic staff of Universities; and (d) The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) (No. 37) Act, 2023. Which provides that“a judicial officer appointed to any of the superior courts of record specified in section 6 (5) of the Constitution may retire when he attains the age of sixty-five years and he shall cease to hold office when he attains the age of seventy years”

” In light of the above, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is invited to rightly exercise its legislative powers by passing the Harmonised Retirement Age for Staff of National Assembly Service in Nigeria Bill into Law, for the stabilization and development of capacity in the National Assembly Service, for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria and fairness to the various Arms of Government in line with the doctrine of separation of powers.”