Elders urge Buhari to sign Rights, Privileges bill

The Graceful Ageing Fellowship (GRAF) on Saturday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the Older Persons Rights and Privileges bill passed by the National Assembly.

Sen. Eze Ajoku, the International Coordinator of the association, made the call during their 13 years anniversary in Abuja.

Ajoku, who commended President Buhari for signing the Senior Citizens Centre Act in 2017, appealed to him to give assent to the bill.

“Mr President has done well, commendably well by signing the Senior Citizens Centre Act in 2017 and inaugurating its board in 2021 and approving National Policy on Ageing.

“We hereby appeal to the President to cap all of these by signing the Older Persons Bill which will provide the needed social, economic and psychological protection of the Rights and Privileges of Nigerian Older Persons,” he said.

The International Coordinator appealed to younger civil servants and politicians to offer advice and guidance to support the signing of older person bills considering the inevitability of old age.

According to him, if there is any reason for the delay in signing the Older Person’s Bill to date, such can be amended through its return to the National Assembly which will do the needful and return to the President for his assent.

He reiterated calls to the government to provide recreation facilities and opportunities for older persons to recreate.

“Outside of IBB International Golf Club, older persons in Abuja have nowhere to go except Gardens and Bars for relaxation.”

The GRAF leader assured of their willingness to continue to with other older person organizations in ensuring the healthy ageing of Senior Citizens.

Ajoku however emphasized the importance of eating right which he described as key to longevity.

Prof Tunde Adeniran, former Ambassador of Nigeria to Germany stressed the imperatives of a good lifestyle and eating right.

Adeniran described good health as a determining fact of longevity, saying he appreciated the importance of prospering in health.

Congratulating GRAF on its 13 years anniversary, Adeniran urged all to embrace the tenets of good living for a healthy and long life.

The keynote speaker, Dr Dayyabah Shaibu, Clinical Director, of Recovery and Wellbeing described old age as the age that surpasses life expectancy.

Shaibu said that old age is a physiological condition that all aspire to attain as she called for healthy living through eating right and lifestyle.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Graceful Ageing Fellowship (GRAF) is an association that is interested in mentoring and teaching older persons how to manage their health physically and mentally for longer living.