Drama As Senate Moves To Extend Retirement Age Of National Assembly Clerk, Others

A bill extending the retirement age of the National Assembly Civil Service Commission staff is currently before the Senate for debate.

It was learned that the move had elicited reactions from some junior National Assembly staff, who see the plan as an impediment to their careers.

The bill seeks to increase the retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of service, whichever comes first, as against the current retirement width of 60 or 35 years of service.

Should the bill be passed, the upper legislative chamber would concur with similar legislation passed by the House of Representatives in 2023.

A lawmaker from Kano, Aliyu Madaki, while leading a debate on the general principles of the bill, said the extension would enhance the efficiency of the staff of the National Assembly.

If the bill is concurred to by the upper legislative chamber, the tenure of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambawal Magaji, and over 150 staff expected to retire in November, would be extended by five years.

Speaking with TheCable, a staff of the National Assembly, who pleaded anonymity, said most of his colleagues see the move as an attempt to impede their civil service careers.

He said: “It is not fair to us who want to rise and get to the peak of our careers in the National Assembly service.”