By Atokolo Steven
President Bola Tinubu has rejected a bill for “harmonized retirement of National Assembly staff” that seeks to raise the retirement age of civil servants working in the national assembly.
The decision of the President is contained in a letter read by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday.
President Tinubu however did not offer any specific reasons for withholding is assent to the bill which had generated a lot of controversy.
The senate had in February rejected the bill but reconsidered and passed it in concurrence with a similar one passed in the House of Representatives.
The bill seeks to increase the retirement age of National Assembly staff to 65 years or 40 years of service, whichever comes first.
The existing law prescribes 60 years of age or 35 years of service for retirement.
In withholding his assent Tinubu, however took time to seek the understanding of the upper chamber and take his decision in good faith.