The Nigerian Senate has passed a Bill that seeks to add five years to the retirement age of staff of the National Assembly.
If signed into law, members of the National Assembly Service would now retire at age 65 years instead of 60 years and 40 years in service instead of 35 years.
The Bill 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,” transmitted to the Senate from the House of Representatives for concurrence was last week stepped down by the red chamber to allow for further consultation.
In reintroducing the Bill, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Thursday, said the needed consultations had been done and the Bill was now fit for passage.
Information Nigeria reports that there was tension last week Thursday among staff of the National Assembly over the planned extension of the tenure of the current Clerk, Sani Magaji Tambawal, and over 200 staff due for retirement in November this year.
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Also recall that the controversial bill during the 8th and 9th Assemblies suffered setbacks after various stakeholders opposed it, arguing that the extension of the retirement age from 60 to 65 years and 35 service years to 40 years would create redundancy and stagnancy among the workers.
Bamidele, who noted that the bill seeks to make provisions for the harmonised retirement age for legislative officers of the National Assembly, said, “Considering the importance of the legislative service, the passage of the bill into law will strengthen the legislature as an arm of government.
“This bill is geared towards making provisions for the retirement age of legislative officers who serve as staff of the National Assembly. The provision does not include the following: drivers, porters, cleaners, security guards, messengers, typists, craftsmen, mechanics, clerical officers, gardeners, stewards, or cooks.”
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), in Abuja endorsed the Bill.
