The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (FCT-CSC), in partnership with the Office of the Head of Service, FCT Administration (FCTA), has commenced a pre-retirement workshop to prepare public servants for life after government employment.
The workshop, themed “How to Triumph in Retirement”, is designed to equip retiring workers with strategies for a financially secure, productive and purposeful post-service life.
Emeka Ezeh, chairman of the commission, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the programme.
Ezeh said the initiative would help workers prepare for the transition from active service and develop practical strategies for making their retirement years rewarding and fulfilling.
He said officers who had spent between 35 and 40 years in service or reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 to 65 often experienced uncertainty about life after government employment.
He therefore stressed the importance of preparing workers early enough to manage the transition and maximise their years after retirement.
According to him, the workshop is the first collaborative initiative between the FCT-CSC and the Office of the Head of Service, reflecting a shared commitment to the welfare of retiring public servants.
Ezeh said the initiative was also in line with Section 7c(ii) of the FCT-CSC Establishment Act, which mandates the commission to advise the FCT minister on matters relating to the conditions of service of employees.
He said the welfare and motivation of workers remained essential to improving public-sector productivity and service delivery.
FCT clears promotion backlog
Ezeh said the commission had implemented several reforms aimed at improving career progression and strengthening administrative processes in the FCT Civil Service.
He identified the comprehensive staff verification exercise as one of the major reforms, saying it led to the development of a single and secure central database for personnel records across the FCTA.
He also disclosed that the commission had cleared the backlog of promotion exercises for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
According to him, the development addressed career progression challenges and helped restore professional morale among thousands of FCTA workers.
“The integration of Computer-Based Testing for promotion examinations is also a major leap forward, ensuring the swift release of results, eliminating sharp practices, and instilling transparency in career advancements,” he said.
Ezeh added that the commission had published official guidelines on appointment, promotion and discipline, as well as two annual reports.
He said a Standard Operating Procedure for conversion, upgrading, advancement and skipping was also nearing completion.
The chairman attributed the reforms to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of Nyesom Wike, FCT minister.
He said the reforms had created new career opportunities for civil servants and opened pathways for workers to rise to positions such as permanent secretary and head of service.
Ezeh assured participants that the pre-retirement programme would become an annual initiative.
Nancy Nathan, acting head of service, commended the retiring workers for their dedication and contributions to the development of the FCT.
Nathan said retirement from government service would not diminish the value of the workers’ contributions, noting that their institutional knowledge and experience would remain relevant to the territory’s development.
She urged the retirees to see retirement as an opportunity to apply their experience to mentorship, community development and entrepreneurship.
“To ensure holistic readiness, the training programme was structured around critical pillars, including strategic financial management of terminal benefits, sound investment choices, physical and mental health maintenance, and impactful community engagement,” she said.
Nathan urged the participants to embrace purposeful living after retirement, saying post-service fulfilment should extend beyond receiving financial compensation.
She also assured the workers that the FCTA was working with relevant agencies to streamline processes and ensure the prompt payment of their retirement entitlements.
