Uzodimma signs into law, Bill on teachers retirement at 65 in Imo

Imo State government has recorded another milestone in the welfare of her civil service, with Governor Hope Uzodimma, assenting into law, the Bill for the retirement of teachers in the State at the age of 65 or 40 years in service.

The Governor who signed the Bill into law to domesticate and harmonise the retirement age of teachers in Imo State to 40 years of service or 65 years of age, congratulated the teachers and urged them to show more commitment to their job.

The prevailing retirement age for teachers before now is either 35 years of service or 60 years of age.

Speaking after signing the Bill into law at the New Exco Chambers Government House Owerri, on Wednesday, Governor Uzodimma recalled the enthusiasm that greeted a similar exercise at the Federal Government level by the President and said he is glad to domesticate it in order to encourage teachers in public schools Imo State.

“Having given the teachers extra five years, they are expected to bring out their time and work harder to give Imo children the best form of teaching and learning and graduate them as the best in Nigeria,” Governor Uzodimma said.

He described the gesture as value addition and challenged the teachers to show more commitment and seriousness to their job.

While congratulating the teachers, Governor Uzodimma told them that the “law is to encourage them to have sense of work security and be more effective and efficient in their duties.”

Presenting the Bill to the Governor for assent, the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chike Olemgbe said that the Bill, “To Domesticate and Harmonize the Retirement Age of Teachers in Imo State, is an Executive Bill forwarded to the House and was passed after the Third Reading on the 16th day of November, 2023.”

The Speaker expressed happiness that it is the first Bill to be passed by the 10th Imo State House of Assembly under his watch and commended the Governor as one who has “shown concern for the welfare of his people.”

While noting that the Executive Bill was well thought out, Olemgbe described its passage and signing into law as historical.

Earlier, the Clerk of the Imo State House of Assembly, Barr. (Mrs.) Chinelo Emeghara  said that assent to Bills into Law by the Governor is a constitutional provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended, and that Section 100 Sub – Section 1; 2; and 3 empowers the Governor to do so after the House must have taken the Bill through the established processes of First, Second and Third Reading.

The Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, Commissioner for Education, Prof. Johncliff Nwadike, the Head of Service, Barr Raymond Ucheoma and other members of the State Expanded Executive Council witnessed the signing ceremony.

On the side of the Imo State House of Assembly, the Majority Leader,  Rt. Hon. Kanayo Onyemechi and some Principal Officers were in attendance.

The Imo State Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT)led by Dr. Philip Nwansi was ably represented by Comrades Ikpe Napoleon, Oguoma O.M, Eze Daniel and Azubuike Samuel at the event.