The Federal Government has abolished the three-month pre-retirement leave previously observed by civil servants, directing Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately discontinue the practice.
The directive was contained in a circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, and addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, agency heads, and other senior government officials.
According to the circular, the practice of placing retiring officers on mandatory pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules and was the result of a misinterpretation by some MDAs.
Walson-Jack explained that the Public Service Rule only requires civil servants due for retirement to give a three-month notice before their exit date, attend a one-month pre-retirement workshop or seminar, and use the remaining period to complete documentation and regularise pension-related records.
She stressed that the three-month period is strictly a notice period and not a leave entitlement.
“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 stated.
The Head of Service further clarified that officers remain in active service during the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties, except when attending approved retirement programmes or when formally granted leave under existing rules.
“The so-called ‘mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave’ has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” Walson-Jack stated.
She added that Rule 120243 outlines three key obligations: notification of retirement, participation in a pre-retirement workshop during the first month, and completion of administrative processes over the remaining period.
The directive also instructed MDAs to immediately stop the practice of compelling retiring officers to vacate their posts before their official retirement dates.
Permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, and other chief executives were directed to ensure full compliance and circulate the clarification within their organisations.
The government said the new interpretation is aimed at standardising retirement procedures across the civil service, preventing loss of manpower, and ensuring that experienced officers continue contributing to service delivery until their official exit date while completing all necessary pension documentation.
CHANNELSTV