A bill for an Act to make provision for retirement age of health workers in Nigeria and for related matters has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill sponsored by Wale Hammed (APC-Lagos State) seeks to increase the retirement age of health workers from 60 to 65 years and service years 40 to 45.

Leading the debate, Mr Hammed recalled that the Harmonised Retirement Age for Health Workers in Nigeria Bill, 2024 was read for the first time on October 10.

He said that the bill has the potential to revolutionise the healthcare sector in Nigeria as it sought to make provisions for the compulsory retirement age and years of service for Nigerian health workers.

According to him, increasing the retirement age will retain experienced healthcare workers and allow them to continue contributing their expertise to the sector.

The lawmaker said that the bill was particularly important as the healthcare delivery system is facing significant challenges especially a shortage of skilled professionals.

He said, “Nigeria’s healthcare sector is currently experiencing a significant depletion in both the number and quality of professionals due to two main factors. First, 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. Second, the compulsory retirement age of 60 and the mandatory 35 years of service, as stipulated in the public service rules, are 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.”

The lawmaker said that there are precedents for such measures, as the Federal Government had previously reviewed upward, the retirement age for certain categories of public servants, including judges, lecturers, and teachers.

Mr Hammed said that following the agreement between the Federal Government and stakeholders in the health sector to increase the retirement age for health workers from 60 to 65, there was a need for a legal framework to back it.

The lawmaker said that clauses 2 and 3 of the bill say “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,” he added.

Mr Hammed urged the House to support the bill which has the potential of transforming the lives of millions of Nigerians and contributing to the country’s economic growth.

In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu referred the bill to the relevant committees for further legislative action. 

(NAN)