Reps pass bill raising health workers’ retirement age to 65
The House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking to increase the retirement age of health workers in the country from 60 to 65 through the second reading.
The Green chamber also raised pensionable years of service from 35 to 40.
The proposed legislation titled: “A Bill for an Act to make provisions for the retirement age for health workers in Nigeria and for related matters” and sponsored by the member representing Agege Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Hameed Adewale, enjoyed a smooth debate on the floor of the Green Chamber during plenary session.
Recall that the Harmonised Retirement Age for Health Workers in Nigeria Bill 2024 was read for the first time by the House on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
While leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Adewale stressed the significance of retaining top professionals in the healthcare sector beyond their mandatory age of 60.
“This bill seeks to make provisions for the compulsory retirement age and years of service for Health Workers in Nigeria,” he said.
He added: “Essentially, Clauses 2 and 3 of the bill provide that “Health Workers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.”
“Any law or the Public Service Rules requiring a person to retire from the Public Service at 60 years of age or after 35 years of service shall not apply to Health Workers in Nigeria.”
While also seeking support for the bill, the lawmaker noted: “Mr Speaker, my respected colleagues, increasing the retirement age will retain experienced healthcare workers, allowing them to continue contributing their expertise to the sector. This is particularly important at this time that the healthcare delivery system faces significant challenges especially a shortage of skilled professionals.
“Nigeria’s healthcare sector is currently experiencing a significant depletion in both the number and quality of professionals due to two main factors.
“Firstly, a substantial number of health workers are migrating abroad in search of the proverbial golden fleece, a trend difficult to stop, given the fundamental human rights of the individuals concerned.
“Secondly, the compulsory retirement age of 60 and the mandatory 35 years of service, as stipulated in the public service rules, is contributing to the exodus of experienced professionals.”
“While we cannot control the former, the latter can be addressed through the upward review of the retirement age which will be achieved by this bill.
“We have precedence for such measures, as the Federal Government has previously reviewed upward, the retirement age for certain categories of public servants, including judges, lecturers, and teachers,” he said.
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