RETIREMENT POLICY AND PROBLEM OF IMPLEMENTATION IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC SECTOR

ABSTRACT

The study Retirement policy and the problem of implementation in Nigerian public sector was aimed at determining the effects of old pension schemes (pay-as-you-go-defined benefits) and they are corruption and inflation, weak institutional capacity and non-compliance of stakeholders which lead to non-implementation of the previous pension scheme, thereby growing rise to the contributory pension scheme (PRA 2004), as a way of strengthening the powers of the operators of the scheme and promoting social investments in the national economy. The survey method was adopted in administering the questionnaires to the staff and retires of Enugu state civil service and the Bourley’s formulae was used to determine the sample size. the retirees complained that they have experience difficulty in claiming their gratuity and pension which have resulted for them not to enjoy their retirement period, due to the challenges facing the defined benefits scheme. The effective implementation of pension reform act (PRA) 2004 would avert the hardship of retirees of Enugu stage civil service after this retirement, thereby forcing them into productive venture  after retirement.To quicken the dispensation of the pensioners benefits in term of gratuities and pension, federal government establishes the national pension commission which later licensed on fund administrators (PFAS) and pension fund custodian (PFCS) for effective operations of the scheme. Finally, relevant legal framework should be put in place by the federal government to ensure political economy and necessary support for the scheme by subsequent government, and all hands should be on deck to ensure the success and sustainability of the pension reform act (PRA) 2004.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Retirement can be seen as the period of time in an employee’s, employment life when he or she has satisfactorily served the organization, that employed year of the contract.

This is a period in an employee life when he or she separates from his or her job because of their age. This is also a period when the employee has spent a specified period of time with the employer which qualified the employee to be retired.

Usually, employees serve for thirty five years and yet retired in the public service or are retired at the reliamentage of six five years for both men and women when an employee has satisfied the employment requirements and has retired from work, he or she is supposed to receive a relative amount of money is usually paid to a retiree (a retired employee). This amount may come in regular form (either monthly or quarterly) sometime, most pension schemes require employees to contribute part of their earning (usually 6 or 7%) to pension fund from which they will later receive as pension, these are called contributory schemes. This are other pension schemes. This implies that the employer bears the full cost of paying pension to its retirees.

When an organization applies the contributory pension scheme, it usually employs the services of a pension fund administration (PFA). This is a thirty party organization employed by the employer or both the employer and the employee (in the case of contributory pension scheme) to manage the funds that will eventually  be used to pay the pension of employee.

The pension is very important to the retiree because he/she can be able to earn a living from it in his or she old age.

The government being the biggest employee of labour has a major role to play in determining the standard of retirement policy in the country.

It is whatever the private sector see the government implementation that they will want to implement to set high standards (making it possible for the retirees to enjoy the best terms of their retirement benefits). So that the private sector will not have to fall too short of required standards by implementing very poor pensions and gratuity at the end of a very meritorious services to the organization.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The non-payment of gratuity and pension to retirees has become a recurrent phenomenon in Nigeria since the attainment of political independence. This has seriously affected most of the public sector. These are people who have services their country at all levels and when they are useless. The Nigerian pensioners (especially those from the public sector) stay for months or years without receiving their retirement benefits to enable them survive after their meritorious service to the nation some of them even die before their benefit are paid.

Recently, the guardian newspaper of Monday, February 6, 2010 in an article titled pensioners. Their regrets, their expectations, related the death of one Mr Agboola  T. Sunday – a retired senior supervisor in the accounts departments of the Nigerian railway cooperation Mr Agboola died from an ailment which member of his family believed could have been cured if he had been taking drugs recommended for him. According to his son jude our father could not buy drugs which he most needed because he had no money. He had not been paid his pensions for the past 15 months and all other avenues for succor has been exhausted if the government had remembered and paid him his due after 30 years of service to his fatherland, he wouldn’t have died. What befall Mr Agboola happened to be hundred of retired public officers who spend the youthful part of their lives at work only to be allowed to die in want and hunger. This is the predicament of the embattled Nigeria public servants for instance at the town planning department here in Enugu state it takes an average of two years to get any entitlement paid. That is why it is alleged that most people earning their retirement age fell uncomfortable because they may have to wait longer than necessary to get entitlement.

The plights of retirees can best be imagined especially now that the home of pay of an average civil servant can hardly take them home. Though the minimum wages of civil servant has been raised by the federal government to at least to alleviate their sufferings, but the issue goes beyond minimum wage for pensioners.

The fundamental problem is that of delay of payment if the stipend come in as at when due, perhaps the pensioners may well adjust to the diet state of their times and wherever the money takes then they live the rest before the next stipend comes in.

But this is not the situation pensioners are groaning under a heavy yoke, the stipend is small and it is not coming at all.

This study will attempt to examine the impact of implementation of retirement policy on the retirees inline with the question stated below: what impact does the implementation of retirement policy have on the retirees of the Enugu state civil services?

1.3    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study aims to asses the impact of retirement policies on the social welfare of retirees of the Enugu state civil service over the years and how best to improve these policies in order to meet the desire of the retirees.

This study aims to unearth the problems that lead to lack of implementation of retirement policies of both the federal government in Nigeria which in turn brings in told hardship to the retiree , lastly the study intends to make recommendations (where necessary) on how to improve the living standard of retired civil servant especially those in Enugu state.

1.4    HYPOTHESIS

H0:    The implementation of retirement policy in Enugu state civil service has no adverse effect on the retirees.

HI:    The implementation of retirement policy in Enugu state civil service has an adverse effect on the retirees.

There by, subjecting them to untold hardship.

Test Of Hypothesis

In testing this hypothesis, emphasis will be based on the responses from the population concerned, who will through the questionnaire indicate the effect of the implementation of retirement policy on them. Such indices as the amount of gratuity and pension of the  retirees in relation to the prevalent nature of the economy, the consistency of payment of the retirement benefit, the financial situation of the retirees and how it has affected both their lives and that of their families their level of defense on the monthly payment, how it has changed their standard of living will be used. Taking the population into consideration, the level and nature of their responses to the implementation of retirement policy on them, if the level of positive response to the question is 50% or above 50% the alternative hypothesis HI. The implementation of retirement policy in Enugu state civil service has an adverse effect on the retirees will be accepted. But when the level of response is below 40% the null hypothesis H0 – the implementation of retirement policy in the Enugu state civil service has no adverse effect on the retirees will be accepted.

1.5    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance or significance of the study cannot be over looked in view of the fact that not much work has been done by scholars in relation to this study.

Hence this research work will go a long way in contributing to the existing literature on retirement policy and service in general and the Enugu state civil service in particular and how this impact on both the retirees and the worker nearing retirement.

Also, this work will serve as information media to the general public, most especially the young and the Nigeria retirees and the need to make adequate preparation, psychologically, socially and otherwise before retirement.

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