Nigeria Moves To Mark National Day For Senior Citizens
By Ignatius Ushie
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq has given assurance that a special National day for Senior Citizens in Nigeria is feasible. This was contained in a statement by the Head, Public Affairs and Communication, Omini Oden in Abuja.
Accordingly, appropriate moves through the transmission of an official memo to the Federal Executive Council is underway.
The minister gave the assurance in her office while receiving the management team of the National Senior Citizens Centre lead by its Director General, Dr Emem Omokaro.
Hajiya Sadiya Commended Dr Emem Omokaro for the pace at which she is settling down to work, hoping that with the assemblage of the management team at her disposal, she is confident that the overall objectives of the National Senior Citizens Centre will be realized soon enough.
The minister assured the National Senior Citizens Centre of her resolve to follow on with the request made by the Director General of the Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro through the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Some of the prayers raised by the Director General of the National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro is an appeal for the declaration of a national day of older persons in Nigeria within the Months of August and September 2021 to herald the first-ever National Senior Citizens Day celebration in October 2021.
Other prayers by Dr Emem Omokaro to the Minister are for assistance to the NSCC to secure the National registration of senior citizens of Nigeria (SCN) who are seventy years and above for the purpose of effectively identifying them for public respect, age-friendly services and concessions in Banking services and facilities, road, air and rail transportation services as well as Health and hospital services.
Highpoint of the visit was the formal presentation of the Communique reached at the end of a one day senior citizens forum maiden dialogue organized by the National Senior Citizens Centre in August 2021.