Int’l Day of Families: COSROPIN seeks support for parents, older persons

The Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons In Nigeria, COSROPIN, has advised Nigerians to always respect older persons and take care of their parents.

The President of COSROPIN, Senator Eze Ajoku, gave the advice in Abuja during a three kilometers Healthy Ageing International Walk organised by the Coalition to mark the 2023 United Nations International Day of Families with the theme “Demographic Trends and Families”.

Senator Ajoku said the walk was among other things to collectively promote the well being of families and older persons in Nigeria.

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“Families with globalization are undergoing tremendous stress due to various factors such as less nuclear family communications and interaction due to the effect of social media , importation of foreign cultures with the older person’s isolation, neglect and abandonment and COSROPIN has been focusing to remove these tendencies and ensure the inclusion and effective participation of the older persons in developmental plans and initiative”Senator Ajoku stated

He explained that the Walk which was organised in collaboration with Graceful Ageing Fellowship, GRAF and International Federation on Ageing Nigeria, IFAN, was one of such programmes by COSROPIN not to isolate but to ensure the inclusion and integration of older persons into social programme as family members.

Senator Ajoku used the opportunity to once again appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Older Person’s Bill before him into law to further ensure the well being of the elderly in the country.

While advising older persons to always engage in exercise and eat healthy, the President reiterated the committment of COSROPIN towards programmes that would improve the living condition of the elderly in the country

Also speaking, a former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran who described families as very important components of the society stressed the need for mutual love among family members towards ensuring the betterment of the country.

Prof. Adeniran also stressed the need for Health Insurance Scheme for older persons in the country to enable them have access to Healthcare delivery.

Other participants at the programme called on Government at all levels to give priority to programmes that would put smile on the faces of older persons and give them a sense of belonging in the country.