FCTA Prepares Retiring Workers For Life After Service

The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (FCT-CSC), in collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service, FCT Administration (FCTA), has launched a pre-retirement workshop to prepare retiring civil servants for life after service.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop in Abuja, the chairman of the commission, Mr Emeka Ezeh, said the programme, themed “How to Triumph in Retirement,” was designed to help retirees achieve financial security and remain productive after leaving active service.

Ezeh said officers who had spent 35 to 40 years in service or reached the mandatory retirement age often faced uncertainty about the future, making proper preparation essential.

He said the initiative was the first collaboration between the commission and the Office of the Head of Service and was in line with Section 7(c)(ii) of the commission’s Establishment Act, which empowers it to advise the FCT Minister on conditions of service.

Ezeh also highlighted reforms by the commission, including a staff verification exercise that harmonised FCTA personnel data into a central database and the clearance of promotion backlogs covering 2023, 2024 and 2025.

He said the introduction of Computer-Based Testing for promotion examinations had improved transparency and enabled faster release of results.

The chairman added that the commission had issued guidelines on appointment, promotion and discipline, published two annual reports and was finalising a Standard Operating Procedure for conversion, upgrading, advancement and skipping.

He attributed the reforms to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, noting that FCT workers could now progress to the positions of Permanent Secretary and Head of Service.

Ezeh thanked Wike and the acting head of Service, Mrs Nancy Nathan, for their support and announced that the pre-retirement workshop would become an annual programme.

Nathan, in her remarks, commended the retiring officers for their contributions to the development of the FCT.

She urged them to see retirement as a new phase of life rather than the end of their relevance, saying their experience could be deployed in mentorship, community development and entrepreneurship.

She said the workshop covered financial management of retirement benefits, investment, health and community engagement.

Nathan also assured the retirees that the FCTA was working with relevant agencies to streamline processes and ensure prompt payment of their retirement entitlements.

Participants welcomed the initiative, saying the practical guidance would help reduce anxiety and prepare them for a fulfilling post-service life.