President of the National Association of Pensioners Louis Cilia has died aged 78.

Cilia spent decades in the civil service and retired in 2005 as a permanent secretary - a role he fulfilled in several ministries. 

He also served on the first-ever board of MEPA - now the Planning Authority and, separately, Director of Prisons. He later served as a substitute to the agency's audit officer and also served on the government's consultative committee for hunting, the Ornis Committee. 

Following his retirement, Cilia took an active role in advocating for pensioners' rights and became president of the National Association of Pensioners. 

Cilia was also the outgoing president of the Mensija Circle of the Catenian Association.

He was a published author, having chronicled the life of archbishop Michael Gonzi. Cilia has just finished penning a book about little-known episodes in Maltese history that is yet to be published.

He was also working on a biography of Enrico Mizzi 

His funeral will be held on Monday at 8.30am at the San Ġwann Parish Church.