Buhari assents to bill raising teachers retirement age to 65

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Bill 2022 which raised retirement age of teachers in public schools from 60 to 65 years or 40 years of pensionable service.

He also assented to three others namely Nigeria Law Reform Commission Act, 2022; National Biotechnology Development Agency Act, 2022 and Federal Medical Centre, Hong (Establishment) Act, 2022 passed by the National Assembly at a brief ceremony at the State House, Abuja, witnessed by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Hon. Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub.

In a statement issued yesterday by Presidential Spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022 provided for the retirement age of teachers in Nigeria.

 Section 1 of the Act clearly stated that Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier while the provision of Section 3 of the Act provided that the Public Service Rule or any Legislation that requires a person to retire from the Public Service at 60 years of age or after 35 years of Service shall not apply to Teachers in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Law Reform Commission Act, 2022 repealed the Nigeria Law Reform Commission Act, Cap. N118, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Enact the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act, 2022 to facilitate the effective implementation of the Commission’s Law Reform Proposals and enhance its performance and bring the Law in conformity to best practices.

National Biotechnology Development Agency Act, 2022 provides a legal framework for the National Biotechnology Development Agency to carry out research, create and develop public awareness in biotechnology in order to encourage private sector participation in biotechnology industry in Nigeria.

According to the statement, the Federal Medical Centre, Hong (Establishment) Act, 2022 established the Federal Medical Centre, Hong, Adamawa State to provide Legal framework for its due management and administration.

The Medical Centre will be headed by a Medical Director who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Health, and shall be the Chief Executive and accounting officer of the Medical Centre as stipulated in Section 9 of the Act.