FG Approves New Retirement Age for Health Workers

To meet with workers over hazard allowance on June 1

The federal government has reached agreement with stakeholders in the health sector to grant new retirement age for workers in the sector.

Under the new condition of service, the retirement age of health workers has increased from 60 years to 65 years.

Also the retirement age for medical consultants is 70 years.

Government also requested for three weeks to consider proposals made by health workers under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) regarding enhanced hazard allowance.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting between the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PSC), relevant federal government stakeholders, health sector professional associations and trade unions on the issue of hazard allowance and retirement age for health sector workers in government health establishments at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige said that federal government had acceded to the request by the unions in the health sector to extend the retirement age of the workers.

“We made a lot of progress at today’s meeting, including approving new retirement age for health workers and taking their proposals on the new hazard allowance which the government side will go and study and come back with a decision on June 1”.

THISDAY gathered that NMA has proposed that health workers from level 1 to 6 be paid N60,000 monthly hazard allowance, while those from level 7 to 9 should earn 70 per cent of their consolidated basic salary as hazard allowance.

NMA also asked that its members on level 10 to 12 be paid 60 per cent of their consolidated basic salary and that others on COMES 5 - 7 be paid 60 per cent of their consolidated basic salary as well.