The federal government has directed ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to discontinue placing civil servants on a mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave.
According to Channels Television, the directive is contained
in a circular titled ‘Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on
Pre-Retirement Activities’, issued by Didi Walson-Jack, head of the civil
service of the federation.
The circular, addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries,
service chiefs, heads of agencies, and other senior public officials, said the
Public Service Rules (PSR) do not provide for a compulsory three-month leave
before retirement.
Walson-Jack said several MDAs had misconstrued the
three-month retirement notice period as an automatic leave entitlement,
resulting in officers being withdrawn from service before their official
retirement dates.
According to her, Rule 120243 only requires officers
approaching retirement to give three months’ notice, attend a one-month
pre-retirement workshop or seminar, and use the remaining period to reconcile
service records and complete pension documentation.
“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave
has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” the circular reads.
“A retiring officer must give three months’ notice before
the effective date of retirement. This is a notice requirement, not a leave
entitlement.”
Walson-Jack noted that officers remain in active service
throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their
official duties unless they are attending an approved pre-retirement programme
or are absent under existing leave provisions.
“PSR 120243 does not exempt retiring officers from official
duties during the notice period, except where they are attending an approved
pre-retirement workshop or seminar, or are otherwise authorised to be absent
under extant leave rules,” Walson-Jack was quoted in the circular as saying.
She directed all MDAs to stop compelling retiring officers
to vacate their positions before their official retirement dates.
Under the new directive, retiring officers are to continue
discharging their responsibilities while participating in approved retirement
programmes and completing all documentation required for pension processing.
The head of service said the move is aimed at ensuring
uniform implementation of the Public Service Rules across government
institutions and preventing the loss of experienced personnel through premature
disengagement.
The circular also directed permanent secretaries,
directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory agencies,
and chief executives of government organisations to ensure strict compliance.
The federal civil service retirement framework, governed by
the Public Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act, requires officers to
retire after 35 years of service or upon attaining the age of 60 years,
whichever comes first.
The government said the clarification would help improve
service delivery by allowing retiring officers to continue contributing their
expertise until their official exit dates while completing the administrative
processes required for retirement benefits.
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