The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) has been actively promoting talks about a potential raise in the retirement age, suggesting a change from 60 to 65 years.
The federation claims that reconsidering the retirement age could enable healthy retirees to continue making substantial contributions to the workforce, offering valuable experience and expertise.
In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Dr. Abraham Koomson, the Executive Secretary of the Federation, explained the reasoning behind the proposal.
He recounted an incident where a retiree, still in good health, was about to exit the workforce. This prompted the GFL to engage in discussions with stakeholders and the government, examining the potential of adjusting the retirement age.
“We were in a program where somebody was going for retirement, and we realized that the person was strong and fit and could have stayed on for a while. So, we realized that why don’t we discuss and put this across for stakeholders and government and see whether some adjustment could be made so that we don’t waste these people who have institutional memories to help the growth and development of wherever they will be working,” Dr. Koomson explained.
Yet, he recognized the need for a constitutional amendment to execute the suggested alteration. Initiating discussions with the government is essential because modifying the retirement age mandates a constitutional amendment. Dr. Koomson stressed that this process would demand time and careful consideration.
“We have to engage the government and discuss the possibility. It is constitutional, so it means the constitution should be amended. It will not happen overnight, so we have to engage in discussions,” he stated.
Making a comparison to the legal profession, Dr. Koomson pointed out that judges frequently serve until they are seventy years old, suggesting that people in good health may be able to continue working after the customary retirement age.
“Even if we go to the judicial sectors, I think they spend about seventy years or something. So if a judge could be working at the age of seventy, it means that at a certain age, if you don’t have any health challenges, the person will be okay to work,” he added.
In 2019, Mr. Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), stressed the need for Ghana to consider and reevaluate its retirement age, proposing an upward adjustment from the current age of 60.
Mr. Quartey argued that such reconsideration is essential for the country to leverage the valuable knowledge and experience of individuals within that age group who remain highly productive. He asserted that many individuals at the age of 60 are still active, productive, and at the peak of their capabilities.
Several developed nations have already shifted their retirement policies. By 2018, some countries had gradually increased their minimum retirement age from 60 to 62 years.
As the GFL advocates for this change, the ongoing dialogue with the government is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of retirement policies in Ghana.