The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Institute of Retirement Management Nigeria (IRM-N) are strategizing to create a sustainable retirement for public servants after their years of service.
Director General of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari represented by the Director, Human Resource Management, Mr. Kehinde Ogunkuade disclosed this when he received the IRM-N Executive Director, Dr. Chidi Iheama on a working visit, adding that the partnership would re-awaken the consciousness of public servants to the need to prepare well for retirement while in service.
He said the Agency has identified with the institute for a while and was proud to partner with the institute, noting that NOA, with its wide spread across the country, will take the awareness on preparation of retirement to every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
Abari however urged the Institute to ensure the costs of its trainings are affordable to encourage massive participation and wide acceptance by public servants and MDAs in the face of budgetary constraints.
Earlier, the IRM-N Executive Director, Dr. Iheama said the Institute was canvassing the value adding experience of retirees and mentoring of young civil servants to prepare effectively for a meaningful life after retirement.
He lamented that many retirees are unhealthy, unhappy and distressed because many have left service unprepared without any livelihood to fall back on after retirement. He said this lack of preparation for retirement has opened more avenues to alteration of age and corrupt practices in the service. This, he said, is why the institute is taking the initiative of building the consciousness of planning re- orientation for retirees to embark on small venture while in service, leveraging on opportunities in the agricultural value chain as provided for in the Public Service Rules.
IRM is the foremost retirement management development organization that is designed to promote a most rewarding retirement life for Nigerians.