Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Senior High Chief Tony Akiotu, has called for an upward review of the retirement age for workers in specialised agencies, proposing 65 years for personnel of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and similar institutions.

Akiotu made the call in Abuja during the retirement and public presentation of Thirty Years, Thirty Lessons: What the Public Service Taught Me About Work, People and Faith, a memoir by retiring NBC director, Mrs Pauline Ehusani.

He said the commission was experiencing a gradual loss of institutional memory as experienced personnel leave the service upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 years or 35 years in service.

According to him, broadcast regulation remains a specialised field requiring experienced hands, especially with emerging challenges posed by fake news, sensational content and the growing influence of digital media.

“I believe that people who work in specialised agencies like this should be made to serve the nation a little longer. Sixty-five years will make some sense,” Akiotu said.

He appealed to the Head of the Civil Serviceof the Federation and the Minister of Information and National Orientation to consider reviewing the retirement age for personnel in broadcast regulation and other specialised institutions.

“People all over the world are looking for ways to regulate social media. Broadcast regulation is a very serious issue and requires people with experience and institutional knowledge,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Ehusani urged young Nigerians and public servants to remain committed to their careers and not be discouraged by temporary setbacks.

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