By Chimezie Godfrey
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has signed three bills, pegging the retirement age of staff of three tertiary institutions in the state to 65 years.
The Benue State House of Assembly passed the bills to harmonize the retirement age of academic and non academic staff in tertiary institutions in the state.
The three bills are a law to repeal and re-enact the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo law, a law to repeal and re-enact the College of Education, Katsina Ala law and a law to repeal and re-enact the College of Education, Oju law.
Governor Ortom while signing the laws at the Benue People’s House, Makurdi expressed appreciation to the Benue State House of Assembly for “always speedily passing bills that have been sent to them.”
He said “It was on record that the eighth and ninth assembly and the executive council of close to eight years have initiated and signed laws for the good governance of the state more than any administration in the history of the state.”
The Governor said by repealing the laws to harmonize the retirement age of staff of the three tertiary institutions, the Government acted in the best interest of the people and quality service delivery.
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According to Governor Ortom, “except one is stricken by sickness at sixty five, it is on record that you can do better. By then your wealth of experience and knowledge would be better than when you were younger. It is something that the Federal Government started and we have seen the wisdom to apply it.”
The Governor added that the State Government has also forwarded a bill to the Benue State House of Assembly to harmonize the retirement age of teachers to sixty five years.
He expressed optimism that the legislative arm would expedite action on the bill.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Engr. Titus Uba who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Christopher Adaji while presenting the bills said the House dutifully went through the bills before passing them into laws.
