The Independent Consultant on Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health and Ageing, Zambia, Mr Andrew Mbewe, has called for the establishment of a directorate for senior citizens and retirees to serve as resource bank for skills and expertise.
Mbewe made the call at SGA Africa maiden edition of Annual Regional Conference on Ageing on Monday in Abuja.
He spoke on “Africa’s Population Dynamic, Challenges and prospects of inclusive framework: Integrating policies towards children and older people’’.
Mbewe, a former Family and Reproductive Health Cluster Coordinator, WHO Nigeria, said the directorate would serve to address shortage of some health professionals, teachers and other experts in Nigeria.
“On the register, there may be people who have retired and have such skills and they are willing to participate and work.
“There should be a system either a directorate or a commission that registers elderly persons. I know before, my father use to be a headmaster.
“ I know as a fact, that some of the teachers that come from Europe to teach are retired but they are very strong, and they were very useful on building the capacity of the Africans.
“Why can’t we have the same system now because there are people who are retired but not tired,’’ he said.
Mbewe observed that elderly persons, retirees were complaining bitterly that they don’t have access to health insurance and pension’s delays and the amount given to them were not adequate to the current realities.
He appealed to government to do everything possible to prepare the mind of retirees that there was life after service, and establish an affordable health scheme that care for life of people after retirement.
The expert said it was important to have accurate data of elderly persons that would help in planning to enable government to meet the needs of the elderly.
He also appealed to stakeholders making policies for the elderly at all level to link it with other age groups as well.
“When we are making policies it should not be made in isolation, particularly when you are making policy for the elderly we should always consider other aged groups as well.
“We have to consider children because they benefit from the elderly, similarly it is beneficial to the elderly to mix with the younger persons because they brought happiness and joy to grandfathers,’’ he said.
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is collaborating with United Nations to generate data of aged population in Nigeria towards enhancing the basic rights and privileges of senior citizens.
Similarly, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, noted that income security was one of the major issues confronting the ageing population in Nigeria.
According to him, old age brings with it reduced capacity for work as well as difficulties in accessing health care and other essential services.
“Elderly people are more and more vulnerable to the effects of economic change, and those without savings, assets or capacity to generate income are among the least able to withstand economic shocks.’’
He said the ministry was actively brainstorming on the avenues for a social scheme through which protection could be guaranteed to individuals and households with elderly persons.
He added that the proposed social scheme would ensure improve access to health care and guaranty income security.
“The ministry strives to find a proven means of reducing poverty and supporting multi-generational households in avenues that will safeguard individuals against deprivation.
“The ministry will also provide for unexpected contingencies impacting in the ability to earn an income or to mobilise resources to care for one-self.”
SGA Africa is an African regional coalition of organisations including civil societies, professional bodies and human rights institutes, among others.
SGA Africa seeks an Africa for all ages in which older people enjoy their rights and maximally utilise their potentials.
The maiden regional conference is to share national and sub-regional experiences and lessons on the various ways, government and stakeholders in Africa are engaging to achieve the implementation of SDG and AU agenda 2063.
It also aimed to devise key messages to change the perception and negative narrative about ageing and older persons as frail, burdensome and mere consumers to healthy ageing.
The conference also aimed at providing an innovative social enterprise construct for dignified socio-economic engagement of older persons.
