Mohammed Shosanya
The Osogbo Grammar School Alumni Association(OGSAA) is seeking legislation by government at at levels to ensure payment of gratuities to those who have served Nigeria.
The group said the senior citizens should be paid at least two months after disengagement while monthly pensions should start the following month of their retirement
Otunba Tola Winjob,National Vice President and PRO, OGSAA,who gave the advice on Thursday in Osogbo, at the launch of the maiden edition of ‘A Day With Senior Citizens’, an annual love feast programme for the elders of the association,said failure to deny these senior citizens their entitlements should be met with stringent sanctions according to the law.
He also said,there should be a policy on free health care services in all our health facilities across the country for all adults above 65 years of age.
He added:” It is not enough to disguise free health care or health insurance under mere free consultation; the free services should encompass free drugs and surgery as may be required. Health care policy for our aged should be comprehensive and free without let or hindrance.
“In addition,the retired civil servants should not be made to undergo the rigour of going to any government secretariat for ungodly verification exercise as many of them are no longer agile while some that make it often collapse at the verification centres. Instead, pension officers should visit those elders in their various homes to capture or update the data of the latter”.
Winjobi,who is also the Roving Coordinator, Elders’ Consultative Forum OGSAA,advised local governments to establish at least one senior citizen’s home per ward in each of the areas.
According to him,these homes should be equipped with relevant materials and assorted games tailored to the need of old citizens so as to serve as a forum for them to recreate with fellow senior citizens.
He also suggested schools where there are functioning alumni associations across Nigeria should launch ‘A Day With Senior Citizens’ programme for the elders among them.
He added:”The executive of such old students’ association should organize a once in a year or twice a year or quarterly forum whereby these senior citizens would come together to felicitate with one another, play games together, throw banters, wine and dine so as not to only give them a sense of belonging but also to stem loneliness and prolong their lives.
“The children of these aged people should cultivate the habit of visiting their parents from time to time, spending quality time with them, putting smiles on their faces and supporting them in all ramifications possible rather than leaving their aged parents in the hands of wonton caregivers and careless neighbours. If such children are living far away they could arrange for trusted relations to be living with them”.
Winjobi explained that the programme was organized to recognize the senior citizens of the alumni as well as appreciate one another.
He said:”This is the maiden edition we are organizing this year by the Grace of God. We want our senior citizens to come together to reminisce on the past and enjoy themselves and thanking God as well for making them to be alive. We have a created a WhatsApp platform where we have quite a sizeable number of them though the platform is not functioning to satisfaction may be because elders hear much but say a little”.
Premium News reports that highlights of the event included dancing to old tunes, playing of assorted games (ludo, ayo olopon, whot, draft, chess scrabble) health check, and health talk on old age and your health.
