The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for establishing the National Senior Citizen Centre (NSCC), to cater for the needs and welfare of the elderly persons.
Abubakar made the remark when the NSCC Director-General, Dr Emem Omokaro, along with her management team, paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Sokoto.
He described the efforts as ”necessary in the right direction,” saying that Buhari’s action was in tandem with both Islamic and Christianity injunctions.
” It will serve a great opportunity for older persons to receive more attention from the society, get treatments in health facilities and access proper geriatric care.
” I am assuring to facilitate the center by involving traditional rulers and interfaith platforms in its activities.
”Care for the elderly persons is critical, so, I urge the DG to avail herself at sittings to showcase the center’s activities.
” I will accelerate the demand for the domestication of the Act at state levels.
”In Sokoto here, the Governor listens and I am optimistic that the call will receive the desired attention,” Abubkar said.
He further described elderly persons as ”the greatest assets of this country having potentialities to transform the nation to better and shape the future of younger ones in recognition of their experience.
” We shall invite you to our quarterly meeting in September in Lagos to educate our high level platform on NSCC activities.
”Even some Nigerians who are not Muslims or Christians, they still respect the major religions.
” We all have elders and older persons in our family and community levels, so the center was established at the right time, we shall collectively pursue for good care of older persons’ conditions.”
The sultan applauded Buhari, the National Assembly and other stakeholders who facilitated the actualisation of the NSSC Act.
Earlier, the D G said the visit was to acquaint the Sultanate Council on the activities of the centre and appealed to him to help push the matter before the state government and the state assembly.
Omokaro expressed hope that the Sultan as leader of Surpreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria, will help toward influencing the state government to domesticate the National Senior Citizens Center Act.
“ NSCC is a focal agency for ageing and issues of older people, there is also the National Policy on Ageing, which was approved by the National Executive Council.
“So, for the first time in this country, we have a policy framework, a legal framework and a focal agency to really take care of challenges of older people, it has never happened before.
“ Elders in Nigeria will work, spend their lives, give up their experiences and expertise and in their later years after they have retired they are not included in development plan.
“ At the moment, issues and challenges of older people are part and parcel of development as demonstrated by Buhari,” Omokaro said.
The DG added that overall aim of establishing of senior citizens centres in states was to help toward catering for the needs and welfare of the elderly, including indigent ones and those with disabilities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omokaro presented pamphlets, laws and other guiding documents on the center to the Sultan. (NAN)