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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has reiterated the Federal Government’s quest to solve the socio-economic challenges confronting older persons, stressing that everything is in top gear.
Umar Farouq disclosed this yesterday at the inception meeting of the national technical working group on the development of NASCC strategic plan, in Abuja.
Represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bashir Alkali, she said: “In developing the National Policy on Ageing and establishing the National Senior Citizens Centre, the government of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, has assured, that every essential institutions, systems and mechanisms to facilitate the quality of life, economic and social participation of older persons, are guaranteed.
“The challenges of older persons and the opportunities that accrue from meeting these challenges are integrated into Nigeria’s development plans.”
On her part, the Director General of National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro, explained that the agency’s strategic intent is to ensure the wellbeing, dignity, security and
happiness of senior citizens.
Omokaro added that NSCC’s plan is to ensure that senior citizens get age allowances and income and to permanently stamp out elder abuse, neglect and violence.
According to her, “NSCC’s collaboration with Expanded Social Protection for Inclusive Development (ESPID) is a deliberate effort to provide these critical answers to inclusion and participation of senior citizens.
“This is the intent of the National Senior Citizens Centre Act which lays the legislative foundation first in Nigeria for inclusion of older persons in development.
“The development of a 10-year strategy for NSCC is to develop a credible working document which would serve as a guide for the conduct of Affairs of NSCC; it is to identify NSCC strategic priorities, processes, approaches to realising NSCC’s mandate of integration of senior citizens in development;
“It is to critically think through NSCC’s internal capacity; strategic recruitment and development of a highly motivated workforce; actualising national and international partnerships and implementation-oriented mechanisms.
