Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has signed an Executive Order raising the retirement age for academic staff in state-owned tertiary institutions to 65 years, subject to meeting eligibility requirements.
The announcement was made on Friday by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Muhammad Bello, during a news briefing. He explained that the decision followed a meeting between the governor and representatives of academic unions from state-owned tertiary institutions.
According to Bello, the governor acted swiftly to resolve the retirement age issue within 48 hours as promised. By signing Executive Order Number 2 of 2024 on Thursday, the retirement age was officially increased for staff at institutions such as Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic Zaria, the College of Education Gidan Waya, and the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The policy took effect immediately upon signing.
The commissioner highlighted the governor’s commitment to addressing other demands raised by the academic unions, which included five key issues. Among them were outstanding salaries and welfare benefits for staff. Bello noted that the state government had pledged to clear these arrears gradually, given current financial constraints. Payments will be made in staggered amounts until the liabilities are fully settled.
Another major concern was the impact of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system on funding for tertiary institutions. Bello disclosed that Governor Sani had agreed to begin sharing the total revenue collected by these institutions, with a mutually agreed-upon formula to be implemented by the first quarter of next year.
The commissioner also addressed the importance of aligning Kaduna State’s policies with national standards. He emphasized that the 65-year retirement age for academic staff is a national policy that had yet to be implemented in the state until now. Governor Sani’s action, he said, ensures that Kaduna is no longer lagging behind in this regard.
Bello reiterated the state government’s dedication to ensuring the smooth implementation of the new retirement policy and addressing the other concerns of the academic unions in due course.