CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Retirement can be seen as the period of time in an employee’s, employment life when he or she has satisfactorily served the organization, that employed year of the contract.

       This is a period in an employee life when he or she separates from his or her job because of their age. This is also a period when the employee has spent a specified period of time with the employer which qualified the employee to be retired.

       Usually, employees serve for thirty five years and yet retired in the public service or are retired at the reliamentage of six five years for both men and women when an employee has satisfied the employment requirements and has retired from work, he or she is supposed to receive a relative amount of money is usually paid to a retiree (a retired employee). This amount may come in regular form (either monthly or quarterly) sometime, most pension schemes require employees to contribute part of their earning (usually 6 or 7%) to pension fund from which they will later receive as pension, these are called contributory schemes. This are other pension schemes. This implies that the employer bears the full cost of paying pension to its retirees.

       When an organization applies the contributory pension scheme, it usually employs the services of a pension fund administration (PFA). This is a thirty party organization employed by the employer or both the employer and the employee (in the case of contributory pension scheme) to manage the funds that will eventually  be used to pay the pension of employee.

       The pension is very important to the retiree because he/she can be able to earn a living from it in his or she old age.

       The government being the biggest employee of labour has a major role to play in determining the standard of retirement policy in the country.

       It is whatever the private sector see the government implementation that they will want to implement to set high standards (making it possible for the retirees to enjoy the best terms of their retirement benefits). So that the private sector will not have to fall too short of required standards by implementing very poor pensions and gratuity at the end of a very meritorious services to the organization.

1.2  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The non-payment of gratuity and pension to retirees has become a recurrent phenomenon in Nigeria since the attainment of political independence. This has seriously affected most of the public sector. These are people who have services their country at all levels and when they are useless. The Nigerian pensioners (especially those from the public sector) stay for months or years without receiving their retirement benefits to enable them survive after their meritorious service to the nation some of them even die before their benefit are paid.

       Recently, the guardian newspaper of Monday, February 6, 2010 in an article titled pensioners. Their regrets, their expectations, related the death of one Mr Agboola  T. Sunday – a retired senior supervisor in the accounts departments of the Nigerian railway cooperation Mr Agboola died from an ailment which member of his family believed could have been cured if he had been taking drugs recommended for him. According to his son jude our father could not buy drugs which he most needed because he had no money. He had not been paid his pensions for the past 15 months and all other avenues for succor has been exhausted if the government had remembered and paid him his due after 30 years of service to his fatherland, he wouldn’t have died. What befall Mr Agboola happened to be hundred of retired public officers who spend the youthful part of their lives at work only to be allowed to die in want and hunger. This is the predicament of the embattled Nigeria public servants for instance at the town planning department here in Enugu state it takes an average of two years to get any entitlement paid. That is why it is alleged that most people earning their retirement age fell uncomfortable because they may have to wait longer than necessary to get entitlement.

       The plights of retirees can best be imagined especially now that the home of pay of an average civil servant can hardly take them home. Though the minimum wages of civil servant has been raised by the federal government to at least to alleviate their sufferings, but the issue goes beyond minimum wage for pensioners.

       The fundamental problem is that of delay of payment if the stipend come in as at when due, perhaps the pensioners may well adjust to the diet state of their times and wherever the money takes then they live the rest before the next stipend comes in.

       But this is not the situation pensioners are groaning under a heavy yoke, the stipend is small and it is not coming at all.

       This study will attempt to examine the impact of implementation of retirement policy on the retirees inline with the question stated below: what impact does the implementation of retirement policy have on the retirees of the Enugu state civil services?   

1.3  OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study aims to asses the impact of retirement policies on the social welfare of retirees of the Enugu state civil service over the years and how best to improve these policies in order to meet the desire of the retirees.

This study aims to unearth the problems that lead to lack of implementation of retirement policies of both the federal government in Nigeria which in turn brings in told hardship to the retiree , lastly the study intends to make recommendations (where necessary) on how to improve the living standard of retired civil servant especially those in Enugu state.

1.4  HYPOTHESIS

H0:  The implementation of retirement policy in Enugu state civil service has no adverse effect on the retirees. 

HI:   The implementation of retirement policy in Enugu state civil service has an adverse effect on the retirees.

       There by, subjecting them to untold hardship. 

Test Of Hypothesis

       In testing this hypothesis, emphasis will be based on the responses from the population concerned, who will through the questionnaire indicate the effect of the implementation of retirement policy on them. Such indices as the amount of gratuity and pension of the  retirees in relation to the prevalent nature of the economy, the consistency of payment of the retirement benefit, the financial situation of the retirees and how it has affected both their lives and that of their families their level of defense on the monthly payment, how it has changed their standard of living will be used. Taking the population into consideration, the level and nature of their responses to the implementation of retirement policy on them, if the level of positive response to the question is 50% or above 50% the alternative hypothesis HI. The implementation of retirement policy in Enugu state civil service has an adverse effect on the retirees will be accepted. But when the level of response is below 40% the null hypothesis H0 – the implementation of retirement policy in the Enugu state civil service has no adverse effect on the retirees will be accepted.

1.5  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY       

The importance or significance of the study cannot be over looked in view of the fact that not much work has been done by scholars in relation to this study.

       Hence this research work will go a long way in contributing to the existing literature on retirement policy and service in general and the Enugu state civil service in particular and how this impact on both the retirees and the worker nearing retirement.

Also, this work will serve as information media to the general public, most especially the young and the Nigeria retirees and the need to make adequate preparation, psychologically, socially and otherwise before retirement.

1.6  DELIMITAION/SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study on retirement policy and problems of implementation in Nigerian public sector ( a case study of Enugu state civil service). The target population is the staffers of Enugu state civil service the findings and recommendation will all be applicable of other commission across the country.

1.7  LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

       The motivation of the researcher were owed to its peculiarity and their area of specialization like every research work.

       However because of some constraints such as finance, cooperation and time limit given for this study.

(a)       Finance: Due to the economic situation in the country there was not enough money for the researcher to execute the research as desired.

(b)      Cooperation: during the course of obtaining data for the research work most people were not willing to provide the information that could help and some totally refused the questionnaire.

(c)       Time limit: the interval between the choosing of project topic, conducting the research writing of the project and submission of project was very inadequate, as preparation is done together.

Finally adequate information was gathered from as many sources as possible to make this research workable, authentic and reliable.

1.8  DEFINITION OF TERMS/ACRONYMS     

The following are the meanings of the terms used in this research study.

Public policy

Some scholars believe that public policy is what government chooses to do or not to do, others assert that policy is what government actually do and not what they intend to or say are going to do.

Retirement

Different scholars view retirement in so many ways, But all agree that an employee of a government establishment officially retires at a maximum age of 65 or a working year of 35 years. Retirement is a process that involves withdrawing from a job and taking up the roles of a retired person. It is an inevitable part of life and a time of adjustment.

       Smith, CM (1974) state that retirement is for most people the only part of their live when they have the theoretical opportunity to dispose of their time as they wish which most time are frequently not fulfilled due to lack of money, health and society’s attitude towards them.

       Kimmel D.C (1982) described retirement in three ways namely: Retirement as an event, status and a process.

As an event retirement signals the end of work and beginning of leisure. As a status, retirement concerns a change in social position involving roles and expectation different from those that characterized the person’s life during working years. As a process, retirement is a reality for which a person can prepare.

       Retirement is seen as a time of significant transition people of advanced years in age experience when they leave the position of their day to day full time employment under the strict control and supervision of an employer of another different situation of self employment which involves nearly absolute self management.

       While head Evelyn  and James declare to be retired is to be old at least as society sees it, it involves taking on new tasks, letting go off previous responsibilities and changing in response to the demands of on-going relationship. It is a special period or opportunity for learning and growth.

       Olagboye A.A (1998) sees retirement as a government scheme guided by policy that if well handled could lead to happiness but otherwise to frustration and disaster.

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