Labour seek five-year extension to retirement age, years of service

The Organised Labour has demanded the review of retirement age for public servants from 60 to 65 years and from 35 years to 40 years of service.

The Organised Labour made the demand on Monday during this year’s Workers’ Day Celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja, where past and present leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, as well as those of other affiliate unions, converged in commemoration of the 2023 May Day Celebration.

The labour leaders also demanded that an independent panel be set up to investigate the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, and his team over their conduct in the 2023 general elections.

The body demanded an investigation into the sending of N12bn by the Ministry of Aviation to buy 10 fire trucks.

The President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, said equity, fairness and justice would create resilience for nations in the midst of upheavals and turbulence, noting that Nigeria needed the presence of this mass to jump start the process of development.

He said poor wages, abuse of workplace rights and privileges as well as unpaid salaries would strip workers of their rights.

On his part, the President of the TUC, Festus Osifo decried the state of the economy, which according to him is on auto pilot.

He described as unfortunate, a situation which the country is led by men and women who delight in enacting policies that are detrimental to the progress of the nation, including the Central Bank of Nigeria’s currency redesigning policy.

At the event are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello; and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen.

The candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi was also in attendance.