The Federal Government has cautioned against stigmatising and discriminating against senior citizens and the ageing population in Nigeria. The pioneer Director General of the National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro, gave the warning in her keynote address at the Humanitarian Service Diamond Awards 2024 held in Abuja on Wednesday. The DG emphasised that it was important to address the growing perception, especially by the younger generation, that ageing parents are a ‘distraction and burden’ to the larger society.
Her statement was also a reaction to reports that the ageing population is not covered by the health insurance scheme just as some banks in Nigeria have it as a policy not to grant loan facilities above certain amounts to people who are advanced in age. But Omokaro insisted that old age should be seen as a beautiful thing to cherish and not to despise. She said, “Ageing is what everybody prays for.
It calls for celebration. However, there is a very pessimistic attitude about older persons. They are seen as a distraction.
This is because there is a wrong perception that the ageing population has nothing to give back. So when opportunities occur in humanitarian delivery efforts, maybe due to limitations in funding, the issue becomes which demography should be considered. “Of course, once that question is brought up, older persons may be overlooked.
Many believe it is a waste because they have nothing to contribute. We are working to change that narrati.