Reps Begin Deliberations On Civil Service Reforms

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters has began deliberations on six legislative proposals aimed at reforming Nigeria’s civil service, including measures to address age falsification, widowhood leave, and pension reforms.

The hearing, held at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, was Chaired by the Chairman House Committee on Public Service Matters, Sani Umar Bala, who said the proposals were crucial to strengthening transparency, accountability, and professionalism in the country’s public service.

Among the key issues under review is a motion to investigate and prosecute age falsification in the civil service, a practice Bala described as harmful to workforce planning and merit-based advancement.

“Age falsification distorts the integrity of public appointments and must be addressed decisively,” Bala said,

He urged Nigerians to report suspected cases directly to the committee via an official email.

The committee is also examining a bill proposing a widowhood leave allowance, which would provide public servants, both widows and widowers with up to 30 days of paid leave.

Other motions include efforts to amend retirement policies, tackle promotion stagnation, and restructure the National Assembly Service.

Bala said repealing and replacing the National Assembly Service Act was long overdue to improve administrative performance and legislative output.

He added that reforms to the National Assembly’s pension board would ensure equity and sustainability for retired legislative staff.

“Our duty today goes beyond reviewing documents. It is about improving the lives of Nigerians who depend on a functional public service,” he said.

The hearing marks the first in a series of engagements to gather input from stakeholders and is expected to continue in subsequent sessions.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji