Senate throws out bill seeking to extend retirement age of n’assembly staff

The senate has rejected a bill seeking to extend the retirement age of civil servants working in the national assembly.

The upper legislative chamber rejected the proposal on Thursday after Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate, introduced the bill for concurrence.

The bill, which has been passed by the house of representatives, is seeking to increase the retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of service, whichever comes first.

This is against the current retirement width of 60 years or 35 years of service.

TheCable had reported how anger was brewing among some national assembly staff who kicked against the bill.

While contributing to a debate on the bill, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, said there is no difference between a civil servant in the national assembly and in a federal ministry.

“I have also looked at the retirement age for university lecturers and judicial officials which we passed about the same time,” Abaribe said.

“Coming down to the officers of the national assembly, I asked a simple question; What is the difference between the person who is a finance director in the national assembly and that in the ministry of finance?

“I do not see what separates the person who works inside here as a staff of the national assembly from the person who works in the ministry of commerce as a staff.

“We must not allow somebody to stay here beyond the rules of public service of Nigeria on retirement year.”

The bill was “negatived” after it was put to a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.