Expert to FG: Reverse retirement age to solve unemployment

The federal government has been advised to reverse the new retirement age regime for workers and disregard further agitations by labour unions…

Expert to FG: Reverse retirement age to solve unemployment

The federal government has been advised to reverse the new retirement age regime for workers and disregard further agitations by labour unions on the issue.

A professor of guidance and counselling, University of Ilọrin (Unilorin), Mary Grace Fajonyomi, recommended this to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration in her 55-page booklet to mark the 238th inaugural lecture of the university.

The lecture was themed: “Functional Guidance and Counselling Practice for a Dysfunctional Society and Educational System”.

She noted that increasing the retirement age would worsen the unemployment rate for many young graduates, especially those from tertiary institutions.

She said contrary to the demand of labour on the issue, the reality was that Nigeria needed to reduce the retirement age of senior workers to drastically address unemployment.

Professor Mary said for professors and other senior civil servants “to linger on in the job is to deny employment opportunities to younger/junior ones from being promoted.”

This, she noted, would lead to not only frustration, but other social, psychological and mental problems that were plaguing youths in the country.