Flood: NSCC Sets Up Help Desk For Older Persons
By Ignatius Ushie, Abuja
In line with the policy thrust ofย President Muhammadu Buhari to cater for older persons in Nigeria during emergencies and in time of needs, the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) has activated help desks for flood affected Older Persons in internally displaced persons camps in the affected states and locations.
In a statement signed by Omini Oden, NSCC Head, Corporate Affairs, Media and Communications, and made available to PeakNews in Abuja, the centre says this was necessitated by the dire condition occasioned by flooding in some parts of the country.
According to the statement, this is done in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Development Partners, State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) and NSCC Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ageing.
Odenย stated further that NSCC Director General, Dr Emem Omokaro, said the decision to set up the help desk is necessitated by the high proportion of older casualties in the affected areas and the vulnerability of older women and men in such situations in the affected states of the federation.
The DG commended the National Emergency Management Agency and States Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA), Development partners and other organizations for rescue efforts at flood affected locations despite challenges faced.
In Delta State, where there are already over ten camps created, the NSCC help desks are already functional at most camps including Isoko and Ozoro IDP camps among other locations, facilitated by NSCC Delta State Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ageing under the coordination of its Co-Chair, Mrs. Caroline Usikpedo-Oliseowe.
Some of the services rendered at the NSCC help desks for the flood affected older persons are basic health Checks, data capture and collation of older persons who have expressed appreciation to the National Senior Citizens Centre for coming to their aid working in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the statement noted.
