Dr Emem Omokaro, the Director-General of National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), has called for an end to the discrimination and abuse of older persons in the country. Omokaro made the call while commemorating the 2022 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Abuja.
The event with the theme “Mobilising National Age Friendly Support Network for Senior Citizens” was organised by NSCC. “Today is significant because it is a day set aside to create significant awareness on elder abuse. We are here to talk about elder abuse and solutions to the issues. Aging is not a sickness, it is a process which characterizes some challenges. It is a process of becoming older. It is a progressive change that leads to an increased risk in disability, disease and death. It is about longevity.
“When a society looks at aging as elders contributing to the society, the environment will be supportive but when such is lacking, you will see older persons losing their minds, facing rejection and becoming vulnerable. Aging gives room to abuse and discrimination. Some people refer to them as witches and wizards and all these lead to discrimination and abuse. NSCC is enjoining everyone today to join the campaign to stop the abuse and discrimination of older persons. Our intention is to identify the needs of the older persons and to address them,” Omokaro said.
The NSCC boss said the centre would look at income security, healthcare and continued engagement with older persons, who she said still had a lot to offer the society. She stressed that the engagement would provide an opportunity for lifelong learning to enhance effective and beneficial inter-generational interaction.
“I want to assure all Nigerians that we are on the right track of partnership, strategy and collaboration to move forward. We want to see an inclusive Nigeria where older persons can live a dignified, happy, healthier and fulfilled life,” Omokaro said.
Speaking, the President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr Chris Isiguzo, urged Nigerians to lend their voices to end the abuse of older persons just as children’s and women’s rights are given priority. “I must applaud the government for waking up from 11 years of slumber to make us care for the elders. Establishment of NSCC is one of the key efforts. This should be replicated at the state and local government levels, so that they will care for the elderly, not only at NSCC, but the 774 local governments areas in the country. The care for the elderly should be the responsibility of all and sundry,” Isiguzo said.
He said that the inauguration of NSCC Press Corps would go a long way to put issues of older persons on the front page of newspapers and on the front burner. Isiguzo called on Nigerians to always respect older persons during elections, especially at polling units or booths.
Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, the NUJ FCT Council Chairman, called on Omokaro to build the capacity of members of the NSCC Press Corps to enable them to report issues of older persons and the centre. “As a council, we will continue to support what the centre is doing, because you have come very far in issues of older persons,” he said.
Dr Ogugua Osi-Ogbu from the Geriatrics Association of Nigeria said ageing is multi-sectoral, adding that all hands should be on deck. “We want to see a Nigeria where older persons are respected and cared for. We must renounce those practices that discriminate against older persons,” Osi-Ogbu said.
High points of the event was the inauguration of NSCC Press Corps and the award of certificates to Older Persons Desk Officers from 32 MDAs that were recently trained in Abuja. The event attracted officials from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, National Identity Management Commission, National Health Insurance Scheme, National Orientation Agency, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, National Union of Pensioners and many others. (NAN)
