President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to four Bills recently passed by the National Assembly including Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022.
Others are, Nigeria Law Reform Commission Act, 2022; National Biotechnology Development Agency Act, 2022 and Federal Medical Centre, Hong (Establishment) Act, 2022.
The president’s media aide, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act provides for the retirement age of teachers in Nigeria.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in January 2021 approved a new bill to increase the retirement age of teachers in the country. The president transmitted the bill to the National Assembly in June of that year.
“Section 1 of the Act clearly states that Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.
“While the provision of Section 3 of the Act provides that the Public Service Rule or any Legislation that requires a person to retire from the Public Service at 60 years of age or after 35 years of Service shall not apply to Teachers in Nigeria.”
On the Nigeria Law Reform Commission Act, 2022, Mr Shehu said it repeals the Nigeria Law Reform Commission Act, Cap. N118, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Enact the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act, 2022.
He said this was meant to facilitate the effective implementation of the Commission’s Law Reform Proposals and enhance its performance and bring the Law in conformity to best practices.
On the National Biotechnology Development Agency Act, 2022, the presidential aide said:
“This Act provides legal framework for the National Biotechnology Development Agency to carry out research, create and develop public awareness in biotechnology in order to encourage private sector participation in biotechnology industry in Nigeria.”
Shehu also disclosed that the president assented to Federal Medical Centre, Hong (Establishment) Act, 2022.
“This Act establishes the Federal Medical Centre, Hong, Adamawa State to provide Legal framework for its due management and administration.
“The Medical Centre will be headed by a Medical Director who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Health, and shall be the Chief Executive and accounting officer of the Medical Centre as stipulated in Section 9 of the Act.”
Mr Shehu said the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Umar El-Yakub, was at the State House for the signing of the bills.
