May Day: NLC demands new retirement age for workers

As workers around the world celebrate this year’s May day, organised labour in Nigeria have called on the government to review the retirement age for all public servants from 60 to 65 years and from 35 years to 40 years of service.

The President, Nigeria Labour Congress, NUC Comrade Joe Ajaero, made the call on Monday during the 2023 Workers’ Day celebrations held at the Eagles Square, Abuja.

He said that the extension of years of service should go around, as it had been done in other sectors of the public service in the country. Only a 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.

The NLC President also called for a general review of core civil servants’ salaries to narrow the gap between other civil servants’ emoluments and those in other segments of the public service.

Ajaero said that the union had, over the years, demanded salary review but had yet to receive Federal Government’s attention.

“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 queried.

Ajaero noted that poor wages, abuse of workplace rights, and privileges as well as unpaid salaries strip workers of their rights.

Also speaking, President of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo, lamented the state of the nation’s economy which he claimed was operating on autopilot and barely surviving.

ADVERTISEMENT

While citing the naira redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Osiifo argued that many policies enacted by Nigerian leaders were detrimental to the advancement of the country.

In attendance at the event were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; who represents President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello; and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen among others.