Abia directs retiring civil servants to proceed on three-month pre-retirement leave

The Abia State Government has mandated all permanent secretaries, heads of non-ministerial departments and heads of parastatals to compile lists of civil servants eligible for retirement as part of a three-month pre-retirement leave policy. The directive, issued on October 12, 2026, was detailed in an internal memo signed by the state's Head of Service, Benson Ojeikere.

According to the memo, all retiring officers are required to take three months of pre-retirement leave. This applies to individuals who reach the statutory retirement age of 60 years or have completed 35 years of service, as well as those affected by the tenure policy for Directors (8-year tenure). The policy references two previous circulars, dated June 6, 2017, and July 18, 2017.

The memo emphasized the importance of full and timely compliance with the policy, stating that the three-month leave is intended to allow retiring officers to begin the process of working out their pensions. However, Ojeikere noted that some affected staff were refusing to comply with the requirement.

The Head of Service explained that while government will continue to pay retiring officers, the delay in processing their pensions could negatively impact the state's image. He acknowledged that there are instances where the state needs the services of retiring staff and there are no suitable replacements, in which case, the office may seek approval to retain them beyond the three-month leave period.