FCTA MANDATES PRE-RETIREMENT TRAINING TO ENSURE SEAMLESS EXIT
By Wisdom Acka and Fortune Iyama
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a seamless and dignified exit for retiring workers, describing retirement as the beginning of a fresh phase rather than a death sentence.
Chairman, FCT Civil Service Commission, Engr. Emeka Ezeh, said this during a one-day interactive pre-retirement workshop organized for staff scheduled to retire between September and December 2026.
He noted that the initiative flows from the establishment of the Office of the Head of Service and the FCT Civil Service Commission, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18, 2024, under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Engr. Ezeh stressed that under the leadership of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, career pathways have opened for personnel to rise to the apex positions of Permanent Secretary and Head of Service.
He explained that the one-day session forms part of the Minister’s welfare mandate to prepare retiring officers for life after public office, equipping them with essential skills and information to navigate their transition smoothly.
Also speaking, Acting Head of Civil Service, FCTA, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, revealed that approximately 100 staff members scheduled for retirement participated in the inaugural batch of the training, which will now run on a continuous quarterly basis.
She noted that the programme allows retiring officers to complete all administrative documentation with their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and the FCT Pension Board while still in active service, eliminating the burden of chasing files after exit.
Unresolved complaints, she added, will be addressed directly by the Office of the Permanent Secretary (Common Services) and the Director of Pension.
Mrs. Nathan affirmed the FCTA’s dedication to celebrating personnel who have served up to 35 years, encouraging retirees to engage in community development, faith-based activities, and mentorship programmes for younger officers.
Commending the Commission for the timely intervention, one of the retiring participants, Mr. Ogogo Chris, who retired from the FCT Water Board after serving at the Lower Usuma Dam site since 1991, advised serving workers to remain dedicated to their duties.
Having prepared his mind years in advance, Mr. Ogogo emphasized that retirement is not the end of life and expressed confidence in overcoming post-service challenges.
