Abuja: The House of Representatives has advanced legislative moves to address age falsification, stagnation, and compulsory retirement of directors after eight years in office, as well as to create a 30-day widowhood leave in the Nigerian public service. The House Committee on Public Service Matters organized a Public Hearing to gather expert opinions and public views on the issues to finalize the process.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, highlighted that the hearing provided a platform for open dialogue on legislative proposals relating to welfare, institutional efficiency, and public service accountability. One motion under consideration seeks to abrogate the policy of compulsory retirement for directors who have served eight years, regardless of age or remaining years of service. Tajudeen noted that the policy is viewed by many as a waste of talent and institutional knowledge, prematurely pushing experienced professionals out of service.
The speaker also discussed a motion aimed at addressing stagnation in promotions within the federal civil service. He emphasized that this issue has been a major source of frustration for many civil servants, whose career growth is stalled despite years of service and consistent performance. Tajudeen explained that stagnation undermines morale and weakens the effectiveness of the public service. The motion calls for structural reforms to restore merit and efficiency in civil service promotion processes.
Tajudeen further addressed a motion to investigate and prosecute age falsification in the Nigerian civil service, a long-standing challenge that erodes system integrity. He stated that age falsification distorts succession planning and creates unfair advantages, weakening institutional trust. The motion demands addressing the malpractice through technology-driven verification, institutional reform, and legal accountability.
The House is also considering a bill to repeal the National Assembly Service Commission Act of 2014 and replace it with the National Assembly Service Act, 2025. Tajudeen explained that this legislative initiative is a response to the developmental needs of the national assembly, emphasizing the need for an efficient, modern, and professional administrative system.
The proposed amendment to the National Assembly Service Pension Board Act (2023) is also under consideration. It aims to reconstitute the Pension Board’s membership, establish a clear framework for gratuity payments, and create a dedicated fund for the pension scheme. Tajudeen described these reforms as a moral imperative to ensure fairness and dignity for retirees.
Chairman of the House Committee on Public Service Matters, Sani Bala, reiterated the committee’s responsibility to thoroughly examine the proposals and ensure transparency and accountability in the legislative process. Bala emphasized the importance of separation of powers and the committee’s commitment to improving governance and ensuring fairness in the public service.
In his remarks, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Joe Ajaero, commended the initiative to advance the civil service. He suggested replacing widowhood leave with bereavement leave to benefit all employees, advocating for special pay during the leave. Ajaero highlighted international examples, such as South Africa and France, where similar policies exist.