Investment in ageing an asset, not burden – Foundation

Investment in ageing an asset, not burden – Foundation
NAN-HG-2
Ageing
Abuja, March 10, 2018 (NAN) Dr Emem Omokaro, Executive Director, Dave Omokaro Foundation, has called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to invest in ageing as a profitable venture and not a burden.
She made the appeal on Friday in Abuja during a training jointly organised by the foundation and International Institute on Ageing, United Nations – Malta (INIA)
According to her, older persons are not homogenous and should be seen as national assets because some of them still earn income as well as supporting their families.
She stressed the need for governments to empower the older persons, noting that it will present opportunities of new enterprise for the youths.
“If you make older persons productive, you have removed burdens from the youths.
“Where you do not include the older persons, there is an assumption that they are not relevant.
“It is time to begin to see ageing as a way of giving work to the youths because you create employment in solving challenges of older persons.
“Empowering the aged will boost income security of them, eradicate poverty, promote social enterprise, preserve their independence, long life learning as well as keeping them connected,’’ she said.
Omokaro said that developed countries are using older persons as a national resource of proportional dimensions.
She noted that research and practical evidence has enabled some of the nations with the perspective in ensuring and recognising that ageing population was assets to their society.
Omokaro further stated that focusing on maintenance of functional capacity, ensuring enabling environment and promoting community livelihood will help the elderly live long.
She, however, said that having a context for policy and legislation, budgeting on ageing as well as monitoring would stop ageism.
She noted that “ageism denies a nation its conceptional framework that unlocks a hidden treasure, a framework and model of a society that spins gold out of silver haired citizens which signify a model of healthy ageing’’.
She, therefore, called on stakeholders, MDAs on inclusion of all older persons, the frail, the vulnerable and the strong in order to have a friendly ageing society. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola