Health workers call for upward review of retirement age to 65

The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has called on the Federal Government to review the retirement age of health professionals from 60 to 65 years.

Mr Biobelemonye Josiah, National President, MHWUN, made the call at the 9th Quadrennial State Delegates Conference 2021 of FCT council of the union on Thursday in Abuja.

Josiah, represented by Mr Kabiru Ado, MHWUN Deputy National President, said that the the upward review of the retirement age for health professionals would ensure the harnessing of their experience in the sector.

He noted that there was a renewed surge in the infection rate of COVID-19 and the health workers were surely those on the frontline of the battle.

“For the same reason that informed government’s timely approval of a new retirement age for teachers, our demand for the review of our retirement age from 60 to 65 cannot, therefore, be better appreciated than the experience in the current circumstance.

“I also wish to re-echo our call for the implementation of the upward review of CONHESS salary for our members as done for CONMESS as well as the directive payment of COVID-19 Special inducement and hazard allowance and payment of all its arrears,” he said.

He, however, called on all health workers in the country to be careful in handling patients in their care.

He also urged members of the union to toe the line of peace and avail themselves the ample opportunity provided by the union’s constitution in ensuring mutual conflicts are resolved through the conflict resolution mechanism enshrined in it.

Also speaking, Mr Shanabo Abubakar, Chairman, FCT Council, MHWUN appealed to the FCT Administration to give the council a plot of land to ere t its secretariat.

He also noted that in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, most health workers on the frontline have lost their lives.

“We know that no amount can replace any life, it beckons on our employer to pay whatever allowance due to health workers to motivate them in this time.

“This is very important, as health workers are under risk of infections of varying degrees from emerging and invading diseases,” he said.

Also, Alh Audu Nizazo, the Etsu of Kwali, commended the health workers and the frontline workers for their services in the battle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want to urge you all to be very careful in the way and manner that you handle your patients, you must treat them well but the most important thing is that you must also take care of yourself,” he said.