Lifestyle

Senior Citizens Cry Out Over Threat to Life

By Web News 414

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Senior citizens in Ogun State have called for urgent interventions to check the rising wave of crime against the elderly in the country. 

They made the call at a function in Abeokuta, tagged Hangout for the senior citizens”. 

The elderly persons who advocated increased social support to the aged, expressed concern that in recent times, more older citizens had become traumatized after falling victims to criminal acts, including rape, robbery and extortion, while some were lost to ritual killing. 

They solicited the provision of conducive recreational centres for the elderly, maintaining that the prevailing situation was overstretching the old people, causing psychological trauma and dementia to become rampant within their circle. 

Addressing the older citizens, a psychogeriatric expert from the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro Abeokuta, Mr Godspower Onukwa and a Pharmacist, Mr Gbolahan Fabiyi, advised them to avoid isolation, exercise their bodies and take their drugs regularly, for them to be physically and mentally fit.

Earlier, the convener of the event, Mrs Dupe Oladimeji called for concerted efforts towards ensuring public sensitization and creating awareness on the diet, drugs administration and hygiene for the older people. 

Highlight of the programme was the award of Elderly and Most Friendly Person of the year to the guest of honour, Chief Iyabo Apampa.

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Economy

FG Plans Engagement Platform for Senior Citizens

By Web News 577

The Federal Government is set to create a portal with a view to engaging, reengineering and reactivating the capacity of senior citizens who wish to continue offering services after retirement.

The Director General of National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro, said this on Wednesday at a collaborative meeting with relevant government agencies and stakeholders on service level in Abuja.

The meeting tagged, ‘NSCC Continuing Engagement Bureau Programme’ was aimed at building a foundation of synergy between the centre and its critical partners.

Omokaro said the intervention was in realisation of the huge potential in the older persons that could be tapped into national development.

“The aim of the collaboration is also to assist the centre to create an online portal that would engage older persons who are professionals in their different fields of endeavour to tap into their wealth of experiences.

“This is a gathering of service-level collaborators on continuing engagement bureau projects, continuing engagement means that we are disrupting retirements. We are creating platforms and tools, we are creating spaces for older persons who wish to continue to engage and have the opportunities to do so.

“You know, older persons have a right to contribute in any area they so wish and they also have a right to access the labour market after retirement not necessarily that they are to be employed by the government. We believe that older persons have a lot of talent and potential, they have expertise and skills so we can incubate their experiences.

Punch/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Economy

FG Assures Senior Citizens of Commitment to Their Wellbeing

By Web News 533

The Federal government has promised to continue providing partnerships that will accelerate investments in older persons in the country. 

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq gave the assurance at a meeting in Abuja with a United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of All Human Rights of Older Persons, Ms Claudia Mahler.

The Minister explained that a lot of policies had already been established by the Federal Government to reduce discrimination against Older Persons and encourage inclusion. 

“The Federal Government is making concerted efforts to direct the domestication and establishment of Senior Citizens Centres at the sub-national levels, in collaboration with the States and Local Governments. A Bill on the Rights and Privileges of Older Persons in the country has been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and is awaiting assent into Law by Mr President.

I wish to assure you that in the next five years, with the multi-sectoral partnerships and synergies created across Federal, State and Local governments, Nigeria commits to continuing to provide a strong passionate and committed leadership to accelerate investments in its older population,’’ the Minster said.

Ms Claudia Mahler stated that her visit to Nigeria was to have an overview of Nigeria’s ongoing efforts at addressing the rights of older persons.

She added that her team would also hold cluster meetings on thematic subjects including policy and legal frameworks as well as strategic plans on ageing.

“We desire to assess Nigeria’s mechanisms and processes in strengthening the protection of the rights of older persons to identify best practices in Nigeria that can be promoted or possible gaps in the implementation of national, regional and international standards that may be relevant to the rights of older persons.’’

At the meeting were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr Nasir Sani -Gwarzo, the Heads of various agencies under the Ministry, Directors of the Ministry and other stakeholders. 

Hadiza Abdulrahman

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