ODHA puts Profs, other varsities’ workers retirements at 70, 65 years

By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
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The Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday passed the bill seeking an amendment to the retirement age for workers in the state tertiary institutions.

An executive bill to that effect had earlier been forwarded to the Ondo State House of Assembly for approval.

The executive bill sought to put the retirement age of tertiary institutions lecturers in the Professorial cadre at 70 years while other categories of workers, teaching and non- teaching will retire at the age of 65. Before now, the retirement age of lecturers in the Professorial cadre was 65 years while other categories of workers retired at the age of 60.

Speaking in support of the amendment, the lawmakers noted that the valuable contributions of University lecturers to the development of humanity cannot be over emphasised.

According to them, the amendment has been long overdue since their counterparts at the Federal level were already enjoying the benefit.

He said,” Lecturers in Federal Universities have since been enjoying the benefit hence the need to extend same to state tertiary institutions in view of their numerous contributions to the society.

In a unanimous voice votes, members agreed that the law should take effect from January 2019.

Beneficiaries of the amended law include the state owned Universities, Polytechnics, Monotechnics, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Colleges of Education.

In a related development, the House has approved that the state government should access a 50 billion naira bond to facilitate infrastructural development of the state.

Speaking on the request by the state government, Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation Sunday Olajide noted that in view of the current Infrastructural strides of the government, it has become imperative for the House to lend its support for government to successfully implement the projects.

Other lawmakers who spoke on the request noted that the bond when accessed would accelerate the development of the state.

The House therefore unanimously gave the nod for the state government to access the bond.

The bond would come in two tranches. The first tranche of 30 billion naira will be accessed now while the balance of 20 billion naira will be accessed later.

In the same vein, the House equally approved the state government’s request in favour of the Water Resources, Sanitation and Hygiene Ministry’s bid to access a facility of N702 million counterpart fund which is part of the 2.3 million dollars being managed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. The fund covers goods, works, services and training.

Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation Sunday Olajide while presenting the committee’s report to the House observed that the facility which has the water sub-sector of the economy as its target will equally have positive effects on other areas of the economy.

The Committee noted that the requirements for the assessment of the facility is friendly in view of the numerous benefits to the people. After a thorough debate on the committee report, the House Unanimously granted approval for government to access the fund.