National Senior Citizens Centre, (NSCC), has called on state governments to establish social safety be nets for the aged in their states to ensure they are well provided for.

Director General, NSCC, Dr. Emem Omokaro, made the call while appraising Abia state’s support to the elderly especially recent, support granted 200 year old ‘Akara’ seller, mama Chidinma Elewu.

She said the kind act of offering a social safety net for the poor and vulnerable is a pointer to the awareness of the governor of the implication of old age poverty.

In a communique signed by the, Head, Corporate Affairs, Media and Communications, Omini Oden, Omokaro appeals that the governor makes this endeavor holistic and sustainable in the state

The statement notes that “The National Senior Citizens Centre has developed and wishes to share the National Frameworks, pilot tested programs and monitoring and evaluation systems already published) with evidence of impact in states towards adoptions.

“In Nigeria there are 14.840 million older person. 9.486 million in the rural areas and 5.4 million in the urban centers, (NBS (NLSS 2019) disaggregated data from NBS National living standard survey (nlss 2019) and Socio Economic and Workforce Survey 2021 put poverty of older persons at 33% of total national population of the poor. 16% of Older persons were found to be sharing meals from other households.”

It also reads, “About 70% aged nationally are still engaging in livelihood ventures to make ends meet without any government assistance. 50% of those, 76-85 years old, engage in drudgery work schemes with no optional security and should they stop, they will have no other means of subsistence.

“Familial transfers from children are few and in between and where they exist, the streams are very unpredictable. Adult children are mostly unemployed and are sandwiched between older parents and children,” it concludes.