Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has said that President Bola Tinubu has approved five per cent of all social intervention programmes for senior citizens to enable them to actively participate in social life.

She stated this at the maiden equity and design fair organised by the National Senior Citizens Center, (NSCC), yesterday in Abuja.

She said, “The President has graciously provided five percent of all the implementation of our social protection programmes for senior citizens in Nigeria and we are counting on the Centre to be able to get down to the grassroots.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also signed the senior citizens charter for elderly persons, which is the African charter for the protection of and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved it to protect the rights of persons who are senior citizens in this country.

“These are all opportunities created by the government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration to give renewed hope to all of us. Let us latch unto it.”

Director General of the Center, Dr. Emem Omokaro, said that the equity and design fair aims to showcase the various programmes and initiative the agency is undertaking with senior citizens and explore partnership openings with the private sector.

According to her, NSCC’s innovative and transformative actions so far are aimed at improving quality of life and wellbeing for older persons and bringing about human rights, business and economic growth through the exhibitions for equity and inclusion of older persons in sustainable development.

“NSCC gears efforts in program and services designs to reorient attitudes of Nigerians at all levels particularly policy and decision makers to engage an optimistic perception of ageing; to view ageing from a diversity of older persons and from a development lens; to partner with us to unveil the opportunities for economic growth in every challenge of older persons.

“The universal declaration of Human rights has been in existence for 75 years. It offered the universal human family promises of equality, equity, non-discrimination -on the bases of rights and dignity, independence, participation and Care.

However, older persons’ rights to equality, dignity, non-discrimination, independence, participation, etc. are majorly affected by ageism, negative stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination based on their age.

“Also, the overarching pessimistic message of ageing that older persons are non-contributing rail members of society and economic burden.

“Other challenges are exacerbated by ageism, leading to exclusion and heightened vulnerabilities,’ she pointed out.

In her speech, Deputy Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Otumba Adewumi-Onanuga, advocated for the creation of a ministry of senior citizens, citing the importance of dedicating a ministry instead of an agency to handle issues related to senior citizens, who make up up to fifteen million of the national population.