,,,,Stresses Need for Institutionalization of Elderly Care.
By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
The Kogi State Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ageing (KG-SCFOA) held a one-day inaugural engagement session in Lokoja to commemorate the International Day of Older Persons with a clarion call on the state government to institutionalize care for the welfare of the elderly in the state.
In a communique from the event,with the theme “Celebrating Our Senior Citizens – The Time to Care is Now,”and a copy available to The Reporters on Sunday,stakeholders, advocates, and senior citizens highlighted the imperative of addressing the needs of the elderly in Kogi State.
The communique underscored the urgency of institutionalizing support systems for older residents with six key initiatives aimed at creating a safer, more supportive environment for Kogi’s senior citizens
The stake holders said that these initiatives became necessary to ensure dedicated care for the elders and stressed the need for a specialized agency with appointed officers to manage and implement policies supporting welfare of the elderly .
They also called for leveraging local government autonomy given the fact that the majority of senior citizens live in rural areas,in order for local government autonomy to allocate resources specifically for elder care, tailoring support to each community’s unique needs.
The communique also emphasized the need for mobile clinics for accessible healthcare to bring essential healthcare services directly to the elderly in remote areas and ensure that this of people have access to medical attention where it is most needed.
The participants also called for collaboration with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and highlighted the need to map out and collaborate with CSOs that focus on ageing issues. They expressed optimism that such collaboration would help collect crucial data to better understand and address the needs of the elderly population.
The forum also underscored the importance of a health insurance scheme, specifically designed for senior citizens that will ensure healthcare access and financial security.
Participants at the event called on public institutions to prioritize senior citizens in banks, hospitals, and other crowded settings, reinforcing respect and dignity for older persons and resolved to ensure further advocacy and implementation of programmes for the elderly in the state.
To actualise this cause, KG-SCFOA said it planned to meet with the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to present to him, the collective needs of senior citizens and seek his support.
The stake holders also stressed the need for the kogi state government to fully activate its Agency for Social Security and Protection of Older Citizens Law, enacted several years ago but yet to be operationalized.
The KG-SCFOA praised the Kogi State Government for its ongoing pension payments to retirees, but advocated for an increase in gratuity payments to alleviate financial strains faced by the elderly amid rising economic challenges.
The elderly expressed commitment to make Kogi State a leader in elderly care while the Co-Chair, High Chief Stephen Salawu, expressed deep gratitude to patrons, organizations, and individuals who supported the inaugural event.
“Together, we must ensure a future where every senior citizen in Kogi State is valued, respected, and cared for.
“The message of the day is clear: the time to care is now, and Kogi’s senior citizens must remain a priority, Chief Salawu, KG-SCFOA stressed.
