According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary, retirement is defined as the fact of stopping work because you have reached a particular age; the time when you do this: At 60 he was now approaching retirement. The period of your life after you have stopped work at a particular age. Gratuity is also defined as money that you give to somebody who has provided a service for you. Money that is given to employees when they leave their job. It is worthy to note that in every month of the year some civil servants who are due to retire go on retirement from the Civil Service without delay. The Civil Service Commission through the ministries should expedite action with the aid of the government in paying retirees of their entitlements on time.
Indeed, in every quarter of the year list of those who are due for retirement is published for public notification. But it is worrisome to note that their benefits are delayed beyond expectation, which in turn gives room for some health challenges. The retirees suffer untold hardship while processing the document for gratuity. The workers in the establishment who do the work should handle it with utmost priority to avoid any delay from their angle that will affect that generality of the retirees. Gratuity should not entertain any iota of delay to avoid Hypertension and unnecessary death in the angle of the expectant retirees.
The pain the retired Civil Servants undergo to process their document in a way is unbearable and unthinkable. It is on this premise that serious effort should be exercised to avert undue delay of gratuity. The process of payment of gratuity should be in tandem with the short-listing of names. Gratuity and pension are different ball game altogether. Retirement from Civil Service should not be seen or observed as going to hell or prison. It against this background that some Civil Servants falsify their age to remain in service for to long a time; even when they are too old to serve. Gratuity is a statutory payment which retired Civil Servant receive from Government at the end of service. In the civilized world, gratuity is not delayed or played down with as we see in this part of the world. The issue of gratuity is not publicly agitated for as Government does everything possible to meet the expectation of retirees. The issue of bargaining with workers in the establishment before gratuity is paid in developing countries is condemned and jettisoned in civilized countries. The pain of traveling to and fro every week from home to offices is burdensome to the retirees. There is need for proper date documentation of the Civil Servant by offices concerned to avoid delay of gratuity. It has become a Herculean task for retires to take their money even when due process is followed.
One wonders the unnecessary delay and spending exorbitantly before gratuity is paid. It is worthy to note that their pension is also being delayed. In 2015, as Governor Nyesom Wike assumed office, he cleared pension arrears owed pensioners by the previous administration. And that was seen as a welcome development on the part of the state government by the people. The state legislature should enact laws to fast-tracks payment of gratuity to newly retired Civil Servants in Rivers State. Gratuity should not handle with levity as it affects lives. The people who had put all their energy in serving the public should be treated with dignity. There is need for pleasure after meritorious service to humanity. The labour of our heroes past should not be in vain.
The service rendered by retired Civil Servants should be reciprocated with timely payment of gratuity. The retirees should not be allowed to see retirement as a curse. The pain of retirement and gratuity witnessed by retired Civil Servant should be done away with to avoid untold hardship. There should be prompt payments of gratuity to ameliorate the suffering of retires. ###
FRANK ENEAWAJI OGWUONUONU
08028901682
