Following the incessant suspicion of age racketeering amongst Rivers State civil servants, the just concluded biometric exercise has paved way for a new identity card which this time has the retirement date of each civil servant.
This is due to the falsification of age that hitherto was the order of the day as some civil servants have developed a mechanism to falsify their age in order to stay longer in service.
TPCN gathered that with the introduction of the new identity card, every civil servant in the state now know exactly when they are retiring from active service.
Speaking to a civil servant who pleaded anonymity, she opined that the inclusion of the date of retirement is a welcome development because it will enable civil servants the time to plan very well and utilise their time so as to achieve their set goals before retirement time approaches.
In a swift reaction, an elderly man who also spoke to TPCN suggested that the reason why most civil servants falsify their age and it seems they do not want to go on retirement is the fear of not being paid their gratuity and pension immediately after retirement and as at when due.
He noted that the government has not been sincere with the way it has been treating retired civil servants.
He further used the medium to call on the State government to look into the welfare of the pensioners and those due for gratuity so as to encourage those almost due for retirement not to contemplate falsifying their age rather than going for retirement.
