The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has introduced a mandatory pre-retirement training program to prepare retiring staff for life after public service.
The Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Engr. Emeka Ezeh, said the initiative was aimed at preparing workers for retirement, which he described as the beginning of a fresh chapter rather than a death sentence.
Ezeh spoke on Tuesday during a one-day interactive pre-retirement workshop organized for staff scheduled to retire between September and December 2024.
He said the initiative followed the establishment of the Office of the Head of Service and the FCT Civil Service Commission, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18, 2024, under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the leadership of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had restored the hope of civil servants in the Territory, with personnel now able to aspire to the positions of Permanent Secretaries and Head of Service.
“Ever since, the hope of civil servants in the FCT has been renewed; they can now rise to become Permanent Secretaries and Head of Service.
“As part of our mandate and welfare package directed by the Honourable Minister, we found it necessary to prepare those retiring between September and December for life after public office.
“This one-day interactive session equips them with the skills and information necessary for an easy exit, reminding them that retirement is not a death sentence but the beginning of a new phase of life,” Ezeh said.
Also speaking, the Acting Head of Civil Service, FCTA, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, said about 100 staff members scheduled for retirement were participating in the inaugural batch of the quarterly training initiative.
She said the workshop was designed to enable retiring officers to complete their administrative documentation with their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and the FCT Pension Board before leaving active service, thereby preventing difficulties after retirement.
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“This session ensures they handle necessary documentation with their PFAs and the Pension Board while still in active service, eliminating the burden of chasing files after exit.
“For any unresolved complaints, the Office of the Permanent Secretary (Common Services) and the Director of Pension will handle them directly. This program will run continuously on a quarterly basis,” Mrs. Nathan explained.
She added that the FCTA remained committed to celebrating personnel who had dedicated up to 35 years to public service while encouraging them to contribute to community development, faith-based activities, and mentorship programs for younger officers.
One of the retiring participants, Mr. Ogogo Chris, who retired as a chief from the FCT Water Board after serving at the Lower Usuma Dam site since 1991, commended the Commission for the initiative.
“I started work in 1991 on Level 3, and today I am retiring as a chief at the Lower Usuma Dam site. Preparation is all about preparing your mind, which I did many years back.
“My advice to those in service is that dedication to work pays. I have made up my mind, and I am retiring not to go and die; I will overcome.
“Just as they say, retirement is not the end of life; once you are dedicated to your work, God will reward you,” Ogogo said.