Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has appealed to the National Assembly of Nigeria to enact legislation that will protect and improve the welfare of senior citizens across the country.
The First Lady made the appeal on Saturday while commissioning an ultra-modern geriatric home named the Oluremi Tinubu Senior Citizens Centre in Ikono Local Government Area.
She lamented that many elderly Nigerians have been reduced to begging due to ill health and their inability to cater for their basic needs.
Senator Tinubu also emphasized the importance of a Social Investment Economic Bill, noting that monthly stipends for the elderly would serve as a reward for their contributions as custodians of society’s history and help them meet personal and family needs.
“I urge the Senate President to enact a bill that will benefit senior citizens in the country,” she said.
Speaking on the newly commissioned centre, the First Lady explained that it would not only provide a space for relaxation and recreation for senior citizens but would also help them remain active, youthful in spirit, and live longer.
She called for nationwide efforts to replicate the model established by Umo Eno, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, in caring for the elderly. She also paid tribute to the late former First Lady of the state, Patience Umo Eno, for her vision for elderly citizens.
Earlier, Governor Eno thanked Mrs Tinubu for visiting the state to personally inaugurate the centre named in her honour.
He described the project as a brainchild of his late wife and said it aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative in promoting care for the elderly.
Governor Eno further revealed his administration’s plan to replicate the project across the three senatorial districts of the state. He also pledged to send a bill to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to protect the rights and welfare of elderly citizens, urging the Speaker to ensure its speedy passage.
The Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Lady Helen Obareki, appreciated Mrs Tinubu for her mentorship and for honouring the memory of the governor’s late wife with her presence.
Giving an overview of the project, Delivery Adviser Dr. Ita-Awan James said the facility was designed to cater to the needs of senior citizens in the state, many of whom, she noted, have been neglected after years of dedicated service.
The event was attended by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, his wife Unoma Akpabio; the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Udeme Itong; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo; as well as wives of state governors, members of the National Assembly, ministers, and other dignitaries.
