Former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Osita Ogbu has revealed that the Federal Government does not have an active data on retirees in the country.
He said that the government does not have the required data on retirees, their age profile, health status, income profile, where they reside and lots more that can help elevate the suffering of retirees in the country.
Ogbu also added that many people are retiring unprepared with no intellectual resources to fall back on and no support system for expressing themselves.
He also added that the problem with policies in the country is the absence of continuity, politics is dominating economics excessively, tenure limitations by definition reduces the vision of the leader when it shouldn’t.
Prof. Ogbu stated this in Abuja, at the inauguration ceremony of the governing council of the Institute of Retirement Management (IRM).
His words, ” Many people are retiring unprepared they have no intellectual resource to fall back on, they have no support system or platform for expressing themselves. The nation has no active data on retirees, their needs beyond financial obligations.
“When you have an institution like the Institute of Retirement Management, the Institute will be acting now on behalf of the government, they can be enabled to begin to document who is a retiree, what is the age profile, health status, income profile, where they reside these are the sort of data i mean not just knowing that they exist but in a constant basis knowing the welfare of our old and how they are faring over time so if the Government cannot do it then an agency like this can begin the process.
“The problem with policies in the country is the absence of continuity, politics is dominating economics excessively, meaning tenure limitations by definition reduces the vision of the leader when it shouldn’t. So if I have four year tenure, I am only planning for four years but certain things take beyond four years that is why people have a long term plan, medium term and short term.
“We don’t make decisions based on those performing and those not performing, we simply like getting our own people into places.”
Chairman of the Council and former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Sali stated that the Institute will address the challenges faced by pensioners by advising the government and private sectors on ways to reduce the tension and hardship faced by the Nigerian pensioner.
He added that the Institute as a non-state actor will partner with the government and private sector on the best way to take care of retirees by intervening in situations to achieve a win win situation.
