Reps move to increase retirement age, service years of military personnel

The House of Representatives has approved for second reading a Bill that would raise the retirement age for military personnel.

The initiative that would raise the retirement age for members of the armed services from 60 to 65 and from 35 to 40 years of service was introduced by Gaza Gbefwi, a lawmaker from Nasarawa, on Thursday, together with seven other lawmakers.

The measure also aims to add a new paragraph 4 to section 30 and alter section 18 of the Arm Forces Act of 2004.

The proposed legislation would require that the chiefs of the army, air force, and navy be chosen from within their respective services, but the chief of the defence staff may be chosen from any of the armed forces.

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Many generals are often forced to retire if their juniors are appointed as service chiefs.

To ensure that they still render their services to the nation, the bill will make it mandatory for military officers “compulsorily” retired following the appointment of their subordinates as service chiefs — to be engaged by the chief of defence staff as senior technical consultants for the training of officers in defence college, armed forces staff college or any related institution.

“The objective of the bill is to ensure that serving military officers learn from the wealth of experience of senior military officers compulsorily retired as a result of the appointment of their juniors as chief of defence staff or service chiefs,” Gbefwi said.

“It also aims to provide for 40 years of service or 65 years of age, whichever comes first, as the new retirement age for members of the armed forces.”

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