The Governors of Nigerian States have urged the Federal Government to offer all Federal Public Servants aged over 50 years one-off retirement packages.
In a joint statement, the Governors said this could be part of a “coordinated effort to instil fiscal discipline and prevent the nation from imminent economic collapse”.
The Governors made the proposal, which has only just been revealed, at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in July.
They also urged the implementation of an updated report which called for the merger and shutdown of Agencies and Parastatals with duplicated or contested functions as a way to address bureaucratic inefficiency and reduce the cost of governance.
Officials familiar with details of the meeting said the Governors were concerned about the deteriorating state of the economy.
The Federal Public Service employs about 89,000 people; the Government spends about N4.1 trillion ($A10 billion) on personnel each year from its N17 trillion ($A60 billion) Budget.
It is not clear how many workers are above 50 years of age, or how much goes to them.
The suggestion comes as indications emerge that the nation may be teetering towards the cliff of economic collapse, with debt servicing outstripping revenue in the early months of the year.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has begun recruiting professionals into its Public Service in line with the Government’s plan to strengthen the bureaucracy and reposition it for effective service delivery.
In a statement, Chair of the Edo State Civil Service Commission, Princess Ekiuwa Inneh urged eligible members of the public to apply for the various Public Service vacancies, assuring them that the recruitment would be fair and transparent.
Abuja, 6 August 2022
