Nation
FG Declares Support For Formalisation Of National Elders Parliament
The Federal Government yesterday declared support for the formalisation of National Elders Parliament (NEP) as alternative conflict resolution mechanism.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said this at the Consultative Stakeholders Meeting by senior citizens held in Abuja.
Mustapha, represented by Public Department, in SGF Office, Mrs Veronica Agugu, Director described elders as custodians of societal customs and morality which the society could utilise for moral and economic development.
“The elderly in any society are composite resource which the society can utilise its social, moral and economic development.
“The senior citizens are custodians of society’s customs, traditions and morality due to the enormous experience they have gathered over the years.
“They have the capacity and potential to contribute and impact positively on their communities to enhance Government programmes, support structure for educating, learning, conflict resolutions mechanism and serve as alternative dispute, reconciliation and resolution platforms,” he said.
The SGF, who lauded Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) for its innovative programmes, said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would welcome procedures that would engage veterans in the national elders parliament.
Mustapha affirmed the determination of the Federal Government to work with COSROPIN and IFAN in advancing and activating laudable initiatives.
He assured of the FG’s commitment to issues of the elderly as demonstrated through robust programmes as Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD), National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and National Health Insurance (NHIS).
President, Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) Sen. Eze Ajoku, said that National Elders Parliament (NEP) was a consultative socio-cultural alternative conflict resolution platform.
Ajoku said that the parliament was a non-religious, non-political platform that would use wisdom, counsel and experience of the elderly to contribute to the promotion of peace and conflict resolution.
“The National Elders’ Parliament is a project designed to maximally utilise the wisdom, experience and network of elder statesmen of Nigeria with integrity and pedigree drawn from various geo-political zones of the country,” he said.
Ajoku ascribed the National Elders Parliament, passage of Older Persons Rights and Privileges bill to the doggedness of COSROPIN in advocating for improved welfare for elders.
He said, “COSROPIN is out to restore the dignity and right positioning of senior citizens in the country.
“In many communities, Senior Citizens are already playing this role of conflict resolution and community watches and gate keepers.”
The coalition boss, who described elders as conscience of communities, called for the formalisation of these roles through elders parliament.
Earlier, Chairman of the Parliament Prof Tunde Adeniran, emphasised the importance of elders parliament in the national, continental and global clamour for peace.
Adeniran noted the inevitability of conflicts in societies, saying that peace would remain a mirage until things were done rightly.
Coordinator, International Federation on Ageing in Nigeria (IFAN) Mr Ike Willie-Nwobu, said that National Elders Parliament would use the productivity of the elderly for national development.
Willie-Nwobu, who condemned the marginalisation of elders, said creation of National Elders Parliament was paramount to bringing about equity.
He said, “We have children and youth parliament and now elderly parliament, which will be completed, erasing the politics of exclusion and marginalisation of elders and seniors.”
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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