Abia State Government says it will tackle the abuse and abandonment of senior citizens in various parts of the state, stressing that all citizens aged 60 and above deserve dignity and protection.
The government stated this in Umuahia during a workshop to review and draft a policy framework for the operationalisation of the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre Law No. 4.
The Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix, who presented the state government’s policy during the workshop, said it was wrong to abandon elderly people to suffer or subject them to ridicule.
“The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation is actually leading this process to ensure that the Abia State Senior Citizens Policy comes to light.
“We have had a series of consultations with stakeholders, including critical stakeholders from both the formal and informal sectors, on this policy, knowing that it serves all older persons in Abia State aged 60 years and above,” she said.
Felix added that the government had taken an important step by enacting the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre Law, 2025 (Law No. 4 of 2025), which provides a foundation for a more organised and sustained response to the needs of older persons.
She promised that the law, which had already been signed by Governor Alex Otti, would be translated into an actionable policy.
The Abia State Ministry of Justice, represented by Uwaoma Ajike, also said the ministry would provide all the necessary legal backing to protect elderly people in Abia communities.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Abia State, Okoro Ogbonna, said retired and retiring workers deserved assurance and protection from society.
He thanked the government for enacting the senior citizens’ law.
Abia Govt warns against abuse, abandonment of senior citizens