The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately discontinue the practice of placing civil servants on a compulsory three-month pre-retirement leave.
The government stated that such a provision does not exist in the Public Service Rules (PSR).
The directive was conveyed in a circular issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, and addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, heads of agencies and other senior public officials.
In the circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” Walson-Jack said many MDAs had wrongly interpreted the mandatory three-month retirement notice period as a leave entitlement, leading to the premature withdrawal of officers from active service.
She clarified that Public Service Rule 120243 only requires officers approaching retirement to give three months’ notice of their retirement attend a one-month pre-retirement workshop or seminar, and utilise the remaining period to regularise service records and pension documentation.
According to her, the so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules.
“The rule establishes three distinct requirements: a notice obligation, attendance at a pre-retirement seminar during the first month, and completion of retirement-related documentation during the remaining two months,” she stated.
Walson-Jack further explained that the three-month period is strictly a notice requirement and not a leave entitlement.
Three-month notice
“A retiring officer must give three months’ notice before their effective date of retirement. This is a notice requirement, not a leave entitlement,” the circular noted.
She stressed that officers due for retirement remain in active service throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties except when attending approved pre-retirement programmes or when granted leave under existing regulations.
“PSR 120243 does not exempt retiring officers from official duties during the notice period, except where they are attending an approved pre-retirement workshop or seminar, or are otherwise authorised to be absent under extant leave rules,” the circular added.
Consequently, all MDAs have been directed to stop compelling retiring officers to vacate their offices before their official retirement dates.
Under the new directive, retiring officers are expected to continue discharging their responsibilities while participating in approved pre-retirement activities and completing all pension and service record reconciliations before exiting the service.
