Lagos counsels 341 senior workers on retirement planning - Punch Newspapers

The Lagos State Government has conseled 341 senior officers in the Unified Local Government Service against waiting until their retirement dates before planning for life after public service. The government gave the warning on Wednesday at a pre-retirement training organised for the officers by the Office of Local Government Establishments and Training at the Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Ilupeju. The training, themed “Beyond Retirement: Preparing for a Healthy, Purposeful and Prosperous Chapter”, focused on preparing the officers for the financial, health and personal transition that comes with leaving active service. The Head of Service, Olabode Agoro, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning, Wasiu Olayinka, described the training as a timely intervention, stressing that retirement required preparation rather than being treated as an event that workers could simply confront when their service ended. “Retirement does not happen by chance; it requires early sensitisation and adequate preparation,” Agoro said. He urged the officers to begin planning for their post-retirement lives while still in active service, rather than waiting until their retirement dates approached.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google “You need to prioritise your health, as retirement provides an opportunity to pay greater attention to your physical, mental and emotional well-being,” he said. Agoro advised the workers to maintain healthy habits, undergo regular medical check-ups and make time for activities that would promote a balanced life after their years in government service. “The objective is not merely to retire from work, but to retire into a life that is healthy, meaningful and worthwhile,” he said. The Permanent Secretary, OLGE&T, Toyin Ogunlana, said the retiring officers had accumulated years of knowledge, skills and experience in public service, which she urged them to deploy beyond their formal careers. NIMASA intensifies maritime enforcement with Blue-Green operation Stakeholders seek dedicated fund for coastal resilience Court seizes Lagos, Abuja firm’s assets over $40m oil debt She said leaving government employment should not be equated with the end of productivity or relevance. “Retirement may bring an end to active public service, but it does not have to bring an end to productivity, relevance or purpose,” Ogunlana said. She encouraged the officers to use the transition to pursue activities they may have postponed during their years of demanding public service, including starting businesses, learning new skills, investing, mentoring younger people and contributing to their communities. “It can be the opportunity to pursue that business you have always thought about, to learn a new skill, invest, mentor younger people, serve your community, spend more time with family and finally make room for the things that years of demanding public service may have placed on the back burner,” she said. Ogunlana said the training was part of the ministry’s effort to ensure that workers were adequately prepared for life after government employment. She particularly cautioned the officers against postponing retirement planning until their final days in service. “Do not wait until your last day in service before you begin thinking about your next chapter. The best retirement is one that is planned for while you are still in active service,” she said. She added, “You have spent many years serving the government and our communities. Now, it is time to prepare for a chapter in which you can invest more deliberately in yourself, your family, your interests and your future.” Some retired officers who attended the programme also advised the retiring workers to approach retirement as a transition rather than an end to active living. They urged them to avoid sedentary lifestyles and maintain regular physical exercise as they adjusted to life outside formal employment. Ayoola Babalola

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