The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) has trained retired and prospective retiring Civil servants as guide to properly utilize their retirement benefits.
The Director-General Bureau of Public Service Reforms(BPSR), Mr Ibrahim Dasuki-Arabi, said that the five days pre-retirement training was meant for retiring officers of Federal Parastatals in the country.
He said that the essence of the programme was to prepare retiring officers to face the future and to also ensure that the quality of their lives did not depreciate.
“We have virtually picked 110 agencies now and what we have is less than 10 per cent of prospective retirees”
Dasuki-Arabi said that BPSR was established to train public servants before they retire to learn some skills that will automatically build them.
“Retirement is a disaster. The most important exercise that an employee can embark upon is to prepare for retirement.
“Retirement which marks another phase in the life of people is an exercise that is worth planning for.
“Many people have had very bad experiences in their retirement life possibly because of their failure to adequately plan for it.
“At the end of this programme, participants will learn new knowledge that can be easily tapped towards the attainment of sustainable life in retirement in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Present Administration” he said
He urged the participants to put all they have learnt in practice to ensure that they surmount every obstacle that may come their way while contributing to the growth and development of the nation.
Dasuki-Arabi commended President Bola Ahmed and Secretary to the Federal Government Sen.George Akume, for the support and granting the approval to run this programme.
He reiterated the federal government commitement to engagement and provision of employment for citizens.
The participants were given workbook to guide them in whatever business venture they may embark upon after the training exercise.
The participants were thought on Perspective on Retirement, Management of Small Scale Businesses, Health and Wellness Management among others.
One of the participants, Dr Amina Muhammad-Liman, a retired civil servant from Bayero University Kano commended Federal government for the training.
“I have learnt a lot on how to be careful with my investment and health”
Another participant, from Bayero University Kano, Prof Sa’id Ahmad-Babura, appealed to the government to revise the PENCOM pension law to enable pensioner’s withdraw up to 75 per cent of their savings.
