The Delta State Head of Service, Dr. Mrs. Mininim Oseji, has urged civil servants and other workers to begin planning for life after active service from the earliest stages of their careers, stressing that prudent financial management, legitimate investments and good health are essential to a fulfilling retirement.
Oseji gave the charge on Friday, August 28, while speaking at the Annual General Meeting and Public Lecture of the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association, Asaba Branch, held at the Ministry of Information Conference Hall, Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat, Asaba.
The lecture, which centred on the theme, “Beyond Retirement: Thriving Through Good Health and Financial Stability,” brought together members of the alumni association, public servants, professionals and other guests to discuss financial security, healthcare and purposeful living beyond retirement.
The Head of Service said financial stability was not necessarily determined by how much a person earned, but by how effectively the available resources were managed.
According to her, increased salaries, promotion arrears or other improvements in income would not automatically eliminate financial difficulties if workers lacked the discipline and knowledge required to manage their resources.
“If you like give them more money, they will still be broke,” she said, emphasising the importance of financial counselling, budgeting, savings and investment.
Oseji advised workers to cultivate a savings culture and invest in legitimate and viable ventures, including real estate, treasury bills, agribusiness, professional services and other income-generating activities, while complying with public service regulations and asset declaration requirements.
She warned against waiting until the final years of active service before beginning retirement planning, describing delayed preparation as one of the major financial mistakes workers make.
“Don’t wait until you are about to retire,” she said, urging participants to diversify their sources of income and make their money work for them.
The Head of Service also cautioned public servants against corruption, stressing that financial pressure should never be used as an excuse to compromise integrity.
She advised workers to familiarise themselves with the rules governing the collection, expenditure and accounting of public funds, maintain proper financial records and seek clarification whenever they were uncertain about official procedures.
According to her, compromising one’s integrity even once could expose a public servant to further manipulation and blackmail.
Oseji also challenged younger professionals to look beyond government employment, encouraging them to acquire relevant skills, embrace entrepreneurship, volunteerism, professional services, agriculture, recycling, writing, publishing and other productive ventures.
She disclosed that none of her four children works in the civil service, using the example to encourage young people to recognise that government employment was not the only pathway to success.
“What is so special about that job that, if you don’t get it, your life is over?” she asked.
The Head of Service further stressed that retirement planning must include healthcare, advising workers to adopt healthy lifestyles, exercise regularly, undergo routine medical examinations, eat healthy diets and avoid drug abuse and other harmful practices.
She said poor health could consume years of savings and investments, making preventive healthcare an important component of retirement planning.
Oseji, who has spent about 35 years in active service, said she had already developed plans for her post-retirement years, including public health work, consultancy, training, mentoring, writing, farming and other personal interests.
She urged participants to remain knowledgeable, prayerful, diligent and resilient, stressing that success required discipline and persistence.
Also speaking, Mr. Solomon Ehikwe, in a presentation titled “How to Live Well After Retirement,” observed that many workers spend their active years accumulating wealth only to spend their retirement savings treating health challenges.
He described retirement as a laudable transition to another phase of life, saying it could be fulfilling and enjoyable when properly planned for and accompanied by appropriate lifestyle adjustments.
The event also featured a free medical outreach, during which health professionals conducted blood pressure checks and provided participants with practical guidance on preventive healthcare and healthy living.
A medical practitioner, Dr. Danny Odianose, urged adults to make regular blood pressure monitoring a priority, recommending that households have access to blood pressure monitoring devices for convenient checks and early detection of potential health problems.
Odianose identified family history, smoking, alcohol consumption, stressful work conditions and inadequate sleep as some of the risk factors associated with hypertension.
He described hypertension as a condition that could develop without obvious symptoms and warned that poorly controlled blood pressure could lead to serious complications, including stroke.
He urged participants to seek professional medical attention when necessary and advised those experiencing persistent headaches, palpitations or other unusual symptoms to undergo medical evaluation.
The Vice Chairman and Executive Assistant to the Governor on Health Monitoring, Dr. Christopher Otene, who led the outreach, promoting preventive healthcare among participants.
Earlier on Thursday, members of the Alumni Association visited the Marble for Charity Old People’s Home in Ibusa, where they extended love and support to the elderly through charitable donations.
The association also promoted physical fitness and camaraderie through a novelty football match between the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association, Asaba Branch, and the Delta State University Alumni Association, Asaba Branch, at the NTA Sports Arena on Thursday evening.
The University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association, Asaba Branch, emerged victorious with a 3–0 win in a match that attracted a large turnout.
In her welcome address, the Chairman of the association and Functioning Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Delta State, Unique Stella Macaulay, said the activities reflected the branch’s commitment to building an alumni body that was relevant not only to its members but also to the wider society.
She said the association would focus in the coming year on strengthening member participation, improving communication and welfare programmes, promoting professional and business networking, encouraging knowledge-sharing across generations and establishing initiatives that would create tangible value for members.
“Our collective strength is our greatest asset,” Macaulay said, calling on members to contribute ideas, resources and constructive support towards the growth of the association.
The AGM and public lecture therefore provided a platform for participants to reflect on the realities of life after active service, with speakers emphasising that a fulfilling retirement requires more than financial resources.
They stressed that early planning, financial discipline, ethical conduct, preventive healthcare, continuous learning and purposeful engagement are critical to ensuring that retirement becomes not an end to productivity, but the beginning of another meaningful and rewarding chapter of life.
