Dr Omokaro Enjoins State Governments to domesticate the NSCC Act.
By Adewale Owoade
The Director General of National Senior Citizens Centre, NSCC, Dr Emem Omokaro has enjoined State Governments, where 70% of older persons reside, to domesticate the NSCC Act 2017
Omokaro said this during the dedication and opening of the first Community Senior Centre in Oyo State, at Kudeti in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The centre was named after late Chief Leticia Edith Laniyonu, to mark one Year remembrance of the late Chief .
Dr Omokaro stated further that the state governments should develop State policies on Ageing and partner with NSCC to cascade the programs to older persons in the States.
The Director General of NSCC, also commended the humanitarian work of the Co-Chair and Facilitator, NSCC Oyo State Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ageing and founder of Dementia Care Society of Nigeria, Chief Kikelomo Laniyonu-Edwards and the Anglican Communion, Ibadan South Diocese in Oyo State.
She said the actualisation of the project was born out of a Memorandum of Understanding and authentic partnership between Chief Kikelomo Edwards and the Church.
The Leticia senior center which will be operated in line with NSCC One Community One Senior Center Initiative, will be manned by trained and certified officials and will offer programs promoting cross- generational learning, healthy ageing activities and up-skilling and capacity enhancement that would boost interaction among the seniors and the youths in Oyo State.
Dr Omokaro said the late Chief Leticia Ayodele Laniyonu was a formidable Stakeholder in the pioneering work of National Senior Citizens Centre through participation in the National Assessment of Senior-Citizens-led Arts and Crafts empowerment program, a partnership between NSCC and NDE which brought about a landmark publication which brought to fore the strategic place of Nigeria’s Senior Citizens in the craft industry.
Dr Omokaro, represented at the ceremony by the Head, Corporate Affairs, Media and Communications of NSCC, Mr Omini Oden recalled that Chief Leticia’s life even at old age was focused on knowledge and skills transfer to the younger generation as she often made deep insights during NSCC’s stakeholders national engagements.
Describing the dedication of the building in memory of Chief Leticia as significant and deeply fulfilling, hoping that as the first Community Senior Citizens Centre in Oyo State, it will be put to proper use to the benefit of Senior Citizens.
She informed that NSCC has developed Health and Social Care. Livelihood, Continuing Engagement, Agefriendly programs and Services with institutional systems and mechanisms to ensure that older persons are mainstreamed into already existing relevant Federal and State government programs, and new programs and services planned, Pilot tested with a sector-wide approach to show that they work absolutely and can be integrated into States Development Plans and programs and funded.
Also speaking at the event, the Secretary of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Oyo State branch, Comrade Olusegun Abatan, thanked Dr Omokaro for the “huge job” she is doing for Senior Citizens in Nigeria.
One of the highlights at the One Year Remembrance and Dedication of Kudeti First Community Senior Centre in Oyo State was the presentation of NSCC’s policy documents by NSCC DG, Emem Omokaro Ph.D
The documents presented are; copies of About the National Senior Citizens Centre Programs and Services and NSCC’s National Plan of Action on Ageing in Nigeria and Project Activities 2021-2025 as well as branded NSCC bags for use at the Leticia Laniyonu House.
Daughter of the late Chief Mrs Leticia Edith Ayodele Laniyonu, Chief Kikelomo Laniyonu-Edwards is the Co-Chair and Facilitator, NSCC Oyo State Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ageing and founder of Dementia Care Society of Nigeria.
