The minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Disaster Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, has called for the protection of rights of older persons in the country.
The Minister made the call Wednesday in Abuja during a briefing to mark the 2020 International Day of Older Persons, with the theme: “pandemics: do they change how we address age and aging?”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Nura Alkali, Farouq said older persons play a significant role in the society as leaders, custodians of tradition and role models and deserve to be treated with respect, patience and dignity.
She also reiterated government’s commitment towards the establishment and successful take off of the National Senior Citizen’s Centre, which is expected to provide training and opportunities to develop productive activities and work schemes for senior citizens.
She said: “This year’s edition of the International Day of Older Persons is timely, given the Covid-19 pandemic, which significantly affected older persons globally. Pandemics place older persons at greater risk as they are prone to diseases, physical, psychological and financial abuse including exploitation and neglect. Sadly, many of them are vulnerable and face discrimination and abuse due to failing health and other psychological challenges associated with aging.
“On this day set aside to celebrate older persons and recognise their contributions to the society, I urge us all to treat them with respect, dignity and patience. Old age is not a disease or disadvantage but a blessing and a season of life we all aspire to attain”.
Speaking earlier, leader Coalition for Rights of Older Persons, Senator Eze Njoku, said that retirees in Nigeria die few years after serving the country as a result of neglect, even as he begged government to stop paying lip service to issues affecting older people in Nigeria.
“2020 has been a bad year for older persons in Nigeria as a result of many factors, including COVID-19, neglect, lack of food, medications, etc. If concerned authorities had taken care of them, the older persons would have not died in such magnitude. In Nigeria, once you clock 60 years and retire from service, your health insurance will be withdrawn and your pension taking years to be paid.
“As a result, many retirees die as a result of psychological issues involved in waiting for pensions. There are no medical programmes for older people and I can go on and on. However, I hope the ministry will fulfil its promise this time around. One year after the policy on older persons was drafted, nothing has been done and it is not fair. We know that Nigeria is going through trying times, but the welfare of the older people who staked their lives in contributing to the development of the nation should be a priority,” he said.
