The federal government has revealed plans to establish a national centre, which will take care of the well-being of retirees senior citizens in Nigeria.
In a statement made available to Blueprint Thursday, which was signed by Halima Oyelade, the Special Assistant on Strategic Communications to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister stated this Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of the Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN).
Farouq assured members of the Coalition that the Ministry is working towards the successful take-off of the National Senior Citizen’s Centre, adding that older citizens are one of the key vulnerable groups that are of concern to the Ministry.
She further noted that most of them have been of service to the nation in their prime and still have a lot to offer due to their wealth of experience.
The Ministry will therefore ensure it gives due attention to issues concerning their well-being while ensuring it carries them along in the structuring and take off of the National Senior Citizens Centre.
“A law establishing the Centre is already in place. When operational this Centre will among other things identify needs, opportunities and training of senior citizens and provide recreational, sports, educational, health and social programmes and facilities designed for the full enjoyment and benefit of senior citizens,” she said.
Responding, the President of COSROPIN, Senator. Dr. Eze Ajoku, thanked the Minister for the Covid 19 palliatives the group had received to cushion the effects of the pandemic.
He then briefed the Minister on activities of the coalition which include following up on the National Policy on Aging, pursuing a noncontributory health insurance for older persons, enumeration of older citizens as well as the Older Persons Rights and Privilege Bill, which, according to him, had passed second reading at the Senate, asking for the Minister’s support in the actualisation of these initiatives.
