It’s imprudent to extend retirement age – Labour expert to Ayariga

Labour Consultant Austin Gamey has dismissed calls by Bawku Central lawmaker for the extension of the retirement age for public sector workers.

The opposition lawmaker who is also lawyer says he will sponsor a private member’s bill to effect a change in the age requirement in the public sector from 60 to 65.

“Many people start family life late and their children are mostly still in school when they are compulsorily retired and family incomes are negatively affected with dire consequences for the education of their children. The extended retirement age will ensure that youth are guaranteed family income to sponsor their education.

“With improved health care and increased life expectancy, the current compulsory retirement age of 60 years hurts the public service and judiciary and deniers them of healthy, competent and experienced people. And many of them live an additional twenty years or more and become a burden on the pension scheme which has to support them in retirement when they could actually work,” he said during the vetting of the Labour minister-designate Ignatious Baffuor-Awuah Wednesday.

Reacting to the call, the labour expert told Starr News extension in the pension age will be inimical to the growth of young people.

“It is imprudent at this point in time to raise the retirement age. You have young people who have graduated from school and need jobs to do and you have older people who are staying on and keeping the jobs so what do you do to the young people?”.