Lower retirement age to 55 - Chief Chanje

…As he applauds govt for releasing funds owed to farmers

THE Retirement Age Act should be reviewed to ensure the retirement age was reduced from 65 years to 55, to create jobs for unemployed youths, Chief Chanje of the Chewa people in Chipangali has advised the new dawn administration.

And Chief Chanje has commended President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration for releasing money to pay farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

The traditional leader said in an interview the UPND government should immediately revert to 55 years retirement age to meet the aspirations of young people as opposed to maintaining the current 60 and 65 years retirement ages.

“We appeal to President Hichilema to reduce the retirement age from 65 to 55 years to allow the youth get employment,” Chief Chanje said.

He explained that the retirement age should be at 55 years because people would be too tired to run their own business if they wished to do so after their retirement if it remains at 65.

The chief also implored government to expedite the disbursement of retirees’ benefits across the country.

Meanwhile, Chief Chanje has thanked Government for releasing money to pay farmers who had supplied maize to FRA.

He also applauded the Hichilema administration for having increased the Constituency Development Fund from K1.6 million to K25.7 million.

The tradition leader said he was happy with the direction that President Hichilema has taken to improve the living standards of the people in the short time he had been in office.

“He (President Hichilema) has done what others will call impossibilities during his campaigns. Slowly his campaign promises are being delivered. We can slowly see what he promised being delivered, for example no parent will pay school fees because of his free education policy from primary to secondary school,” Chief Chanje said.

He advised the President to concentrate on working because the opposition will always criticise him.

“My message to him (Mr Hichilema) is that all our people are in support of you and don’t mind the opposition leaders who will always speak against you just to be seen that they exist,” Chief Chanje said.