Eze Ajoku, president of the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN), has accused the federal, state and local governments of senior citizen abuse for failing to pay their pensions.

MrAjoku said this on Thursday in Abuja during the commemoration of the United Nations World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2023.

He lamented that various forms of abuse were meted out to older people without punitive measures against the offenders, stressing that the failure of various governments to pay pensions to retired workers is a financial abuse of older people.

Mr Ajoku emphasised the need to sign the Older Persons Rights and Privilege Bill by President Bola Tinubu to guarantee the protection of the rights of the elderly in society.

According to him, the bill seeks to confer privileges and benefits on older persons to enhance their quality of life and address the elders’ social and economic challenges.

He explained that the challenges are triggered by ageing and the need for the government to formulate policies incorporating the elderly. Mr Ajoku urged the government to treat older persons as a class of vulnerable people that should benefit from monthly social security stipends, free medical care, and older person’s homes in the country.

Mr Ajoku noted that the measures would go a long way in improving the quality of life for older people.

The United Nations World Elder Abuse Awareness is observed annually on June 15 to shed light on the global issue of elder abuse and promote the rights and well-being of older persons.

The Older Persons Rights and Privilege Bill 2019 was passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly and transmitted to then-President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent. 

(NAN)