Stakeholders lament looming ageing, dependency burden

Nigeria may end up in a serious health and dependency crisis, given the rapid rate of ageing, which is projected to bring senior citizens in the country to 30 million by 2050.

If prioritised and properly planned with active laws and strategies, the country may create a multi-billion value chain that would ensure that citizens age in sound health and support systems with related industries and workforce.

Stakeholders, who gathered in Abuja to commemorate ‘World Elder Abuse Day’, at an event organised by the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), noted that while the global population aged 60 years and more rapidly increased, the country’s 14.9 million elderly increased by 2.8 per cent to hit 30 million by 2050.

Director-General of NSCC, Emem Omokaro, stressed the need for Nigerians to age healthily, adding that the burden of a diseased ageing population would be disastrous for the country.

According to her, the huge ageing population must be provided opportunities to upskill and connect through senior citizen centres to cut loneliness.

Omokaro, who stressed the need for a certified and skilled workforce to enable the senior citizens to access certified care, said anything less than proper preparation would leave the country with vulnerable people in families.

As incidences of impairment and disability increase with age, she noted, older persons are particularly vulnerable to disability due to disease susceptibility.
She disclosed that the centre was relying on the Disability Act to enforce segments of a document that mandates infrastructure in public places to care for vulnerable people.

Urging states to join in the fight, Omokaro advocated legislation and policy development to address the issues, including dedicated programmes for older people and quality assurance systems for skilled caregivers.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Enitan, said senior citizens’ rights to equity, inclusion, independence, participation, right to access care and support, access to justice, right to non-discrimination, freedom from abuse, neglect and violence “are non-negotiable and inalienable rights” of the elderly.