Sokoto Assembly amends bill on retirement age of academic staff

The Sokoto state House of Assembly on Thursday amended the 2017 law for the retirement age of Academic Staff of Tertiary Institutions in the state.

The bill was tagged “A Bill for a law to Repeal the Retirement Age of Academic Staff of Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic and Shehu Shagari College of Education law 2014 and Re-enact Retirement Age of Academic Staff of Tertiary Institutions law 2017.”

Presenting the report, the Committee Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Bala (PDP- Bodinga South), said members should recall that on Oct. 23, 2017 Gov. Aminu Tambuwal had submitted a letter to that effect.

“The Bill seeks to repeal the Harmonization law 2014 and Re-enact the Retirement Age of Academic Staff of Tertiary Institutions law 2017.”

Bala said that the Committee after due analysis recommends that the Harmonization law, 2014 should be repealed and the Retirement Age for Academic Staff of Tertiary Institutions law 2017 be Re-enacted.

“The retirement age for Academic Staff of the Sokoto state University should be 70 years to be equal with their counterparts at the Federal Universities.

“This as the Bill seeks to make provisions for the retirement Age of Academic Staff of Tertiary Institutions in the state to be 65 years irrespective of years of service.

“So, by extending the years of service of Academic Staff, the state stand to gain more from their vast experiences and also more value for monies spend on their training and retraining.

“Another important benefit is to avoid brain drain. A situation where many intellectuals leave the state Institution in search of better condition of service among which is the longer service years,” he said.

In another development, a bill for a law to amend the Sokoto state University law 2009 to provide for the composition and tenure of members of the governing Council passed third reading at the Assembly.

This followed a motion moved by the Assembly Majority Leader, Alhaji Garba Bello (PDP- Yabo).

NAN reports that the bills were unanimously accepted by the members in a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, who presided over the plenary.