Retirement at 55 years: what the public thinks
IT is official. Civil servants must leave office at clocking 55 years. This directive by the President last week will put to rest the sticky issue of whether government workers would still be productive at 60 years, when it comes into force.
By Maureen Nakatudde
IT is official. Civil servants must leave office at clocking 55 years. This directive by the President last week will put to rest the sticky issue of whether government workers would still be productive at 60 years, when it comes into force.
For many years, some people, especially the youth, have argued that it denies others jobs.
According to President Yoweri Museveni, there are 350,000 government employees, if the retirement age was lowered to 55 years, over 15,000 jobs would be available for the youth each year.
Uganda National Bureau of Statistics figures indicate that over 400,000 graduates join the labour market annually, but only 80,000 get jobs.
However, the President’s order has raised a lot of mixed feelings from the public servants and the youth.
Hajji Aziz Kiwuka, a lawyer at M.A Bwengye Advocates in Kampala, says: “ If someone is able to deliver even at 55, they should not be retired. More so, the retirement age of a Ugandan President is between 70 and 75.
Since it is the highest job, one is regarded as the fountain of wisdom. Therefore, behind grey hair of old people, there lies enormous wisdom that can guide the youth.â€
Nonetheless, Kiwuka says, some people prefer to retire way below the age of 48 so that they can get their retirement packages.
Mary Kabasito, a secretary at Makarere University, supports the President.
“It is better to retire early, even before 55. I want to do my own things.
There is a lot of work, but we are paid peanuts. May be I can earn more from establishing my own businesses,†she argues.
For people in early retirement, instead of only looking at the retirement packages, they should go beyond that and create their own enterprises instead of leaving a bored and non-productive life, which may reduce their quality of life.
“It is true that they are very many old people in the public service, and I think they should retire to give way to the youth so that they can gain experience,†says Kawoolo Hospital’s youthful medic, Dr. Gerald Kiyingi.
He, however, adds that retiring at 55 is too early. “At that age one has the energy to carry out his or her duties efficiently.â€
He wants the retirement age to remain at 60. But whatever way you look at it, retirement at 55 comes with advantages and disadvantages.
Experts argue that the reduction in the retirement age will negatively affect some fields like medicine and the judiciary that are perenially understaffed.
“There are very medical consultants, judges, doctors and nurses in the country, reducing the age of retirement will be robbing the nation of its brilliant brains and incapacitate it,†they say.
What do the trade unions say?
Wilson Owere, the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) chairman, supports President Museveni’s idea of putting the retirement age at 55.
He, however, advises that there should be planning for those who are going to retire.
“There should be improvement of social protection of the workers to ensure that every person is catered for at the time of retirement,†says Owere.
Uganda’s life expectancy is 52 years for men and 53 for women, according to a recent United Nations report.
There seems to be a worry that at the age of 60 one may not be able to enjoy his retirement benefits since he or she is already dead. So people prefer to have the retirement package quite early.
The time of retirement should not be following long cues and making numerous trips to National social security fund (NSSF) offices. There should be improved services such that if you retire one is able to get his or her benefits without hassle. Not only at the accepted age, but if some one chooses to retire before, he or she can access the benefits.
IT is official. Civil servants must leave office at clocking 55 years. This directive by the President last week will put to rest the sticky issue of whether government workers would still be productive at 60 years, when it comes into force.
For many years, some people, especially the youth, have argued that it denies others jobs.
According to President Yoweri Museveni, there are 350,000 government employees, if the retirement age was lowered to 55 years, over 15,000 jobs would be available for the youth each year.
Uganda National Bureau of Statistics figures indicate that over 400,000 graduates join the labour market annually, but only 80,000 get jobs.
However, the President’s order has raised a lot of mixed feelings from the public servants and the youth.
Hajji Aziz Kiwuka, a lawyer at M.A Bwengye Advocates in Kampala, says: “ If someone is able to deliver even at 55, they should not be retired. More so, the retirement age of a Ugandan President is between 70 and 75.
Since it is the highest job, one is regarded as the fountain of wisdom. Therefore, behind grey hair of old people, there lies enormous wisdom that can guide the youth.â€
Nonetheless, Kiwuka says, some people prefer to retire way below the age of 48 so that they can get their retirement packages.
Mary Kabasito, a secretary at Makarere University, supports the President.
“It is better to retire early, even before 55. I want to do my own things.
There is a lot of work, but we are paid peanuts. May be I can earn more from establishing my own businesses,†she argues.
For people in early retirement, instead of only looking at the retirement packages, they should go beyond that and create their own enterprises instead of leaving a bored and non-productive life, which may reduce their quality of life.
“It is true that they are very many old people in the public service, and I think they should retire to give way to the youth so that they can gain experience,†says Kawoolo Hospital’s youthful medic, Dr. Gerald Kiyingi.
He, however, adds that retiring at 55 is too early. “At that age one has the energy to carry out his or her duties efficiently.â€
He wants the retirement age to remain at 60. But whatever way you look at it, retirement at 55 comes with advantages and disadvantages.
Experts argue that the reduction in the retirement age will negatively affect some fields like medicine and the judiciary that are perenially understaffed.
“There are very medical consultants, judges, doctors and nurses in the country, reducing the age of retirement will be robbing the nation of its brilliant brains and incapacitate it,†they say.
What do the trade unions say?
Wilson Owere, the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) chairman, supports President Museveni’s idea of putting the retirement age at 55.
He, however, advises that there should be planning for those who are going to retire.
“There should be improvement of social protection of the workers to ensure that every person is catered for at the time of retirement,†says Owere.
Uganda’s life expectancy is 52 years for men and 53 for women, according to a recent United Nations report.
There seems to be a worry that at the age of 60 one may not be able to enjoy his retirement benefits since he or she is already dead. So people prefer to have the retirement package quite early.
The time of retirement should not be following long cues and making numerous trips to National social security fund (NSSF) offices. There should be improved services such that if you retire one is able to get his or her benefits without hassle. Not only at the accepted age, but if some one chooses to retire before, he or she can access the benefits.