Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Government has approved the extension of retirement age from 60 to 65 for Clinically Skilled health workers, emphasizing the critical need to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare services to Nigerians and, improving the capacity to continue to train others. This was contained in a statement signed by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations.
The extension was revealed by the Coordinating Minister for Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate during a meeting with key stakeholders in the medical and allied fields.
These include the President Nigeria Medical Association, Prof. Bala Audu; President Medical & Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria Prof. Muhammad Muhammad; National Secretary Joint Health Sector Unions Comrade Martin Egbanubi and President National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Comrade Haruna Mamman.
Expatiating further, Prof Pate stated that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, gave consent to exempt clinically skilled health workers from the extant retirement age of 60 to 65; with an explicit mandate to follow due process for its actualization.
With this directive by Mr. President, the Coordinating Minister informed the representatives of medical and allied health practitioners that the Ministry will kick start the process of collaborating effectively with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, National Council on Establishment and other relevant stakeholders for its actualization.
While extending appreciation to all the Nigerian health workers for the relative peace and harmony in the health sector in the past eighteen months, Prof. Pate also assured that the issue of payment of 7 months arrears of CONMESS and CONHESS is work in progress.
“On the arrears, it will be sourced and released. We are on a track for resolution,” the Coordinating Minister added.
Responding, Prof. Bala Audu (NMA President) commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for restoring leadership in the Ministry, stressing that the Coordinating Minister has created an enabling environment for openness and dialogue with the unions.
Prof. Audu expressed the willingness of the unions to cooperate and work with the Ministry towards ensuring a logical conclusion of issues surrounding the upward review of retirement age and payment of outstanding 7 months arrears.
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