Buhari Declares October 5 National Day for Senior Citizens

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, has declared October 5 as the National Day for Senior Citizens in Nigeria, a declaration he made at the First Presidential Summit on Ageing and Awards ceremony, held at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

In his keynote address, Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Interior, OgbeniRauf Aregbesola, noted that 4.7 per cent of Nigeria’s population or to over 9 million senior citizens, have contributed their best to the development of the country.

The President, sadly, admitted that the elderly had not been treated fairly and with dignity.
“Senior citizens are the most neglected and abused in the society and have been left to die in silence. In bringing about a paradigm shift, I, President Muhammadu Buhari, signed into law, the National Senior Citizen’s Centre Act 2017, to cater for the needs of senior citizens.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to effectively mobilising capital resources needed to develop the appropriate mechanism that will be geared towards promoting and providing unhindered access to social services.
“As a further demonstration of our support for senior citizens, the 5th of October every year will be celebrated as National Day for Senior Citizens in Nigeria,” Buhari said.

Earlier, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, described the event as the first ever Summit on Ageing in recognition of the senior citizens in Nigeria.
She thanked the President for signing the Disability Acts 2018, and the National Senior Citizens Centre Acts 2017, and appealed for take off funds for the centre.

In a presentation titled: “The Stakes for Policy and Legal Framework and Implications for Social Inclusion of Older Persons”, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Bashir Nura Alkali, noted that the 2013 and 2015 Global Agewatch Index, published respectively, in which 96 countries, were consecutively assessed, showed that Nigeria’s ranking among the 96 selected countries was abysmal; 85th in 2013 and 86th in 2015.”

He said the National Policy on Ageing and the National Senior Citizens Centre Act 2017,which was also unveiled at the Summit would go a long way in improving the standard of living of ageing persons in the country.

Awards of excellence were given to eight deserving senior citizens, including Nathaniel Okoro, the first indigenous Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation; Chief Richard Olajide Idowu, the first blind Television Producer and radio presenter as well as Hajiya Saudatu Usman Bungudu, a one time Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, amongst others.