|
 Daily Independent Online.
* Monday, July 26, 2004.
Any hope for Nigeria’s senior citizens?
By Dan Amor
Just at the tail
of the last century, there was a learned conjecture by the World Health
Organisation (WHO), that the world would record about 600 million elderly
people to cater for by the turn of this millennium. A very large number would
undoubtedly have been retired from active service having invested their
most productive years, talents and physical energies in serving their
respective nations.
In Nigeria, as in some other
developing nations, the suffering of most aged people is better imaged
than told. Among those
without relatives to assist them, some have taken to the streets and are
discreetly begging for alms. Others are sometimes heard cursing their stars for the
cumbersome gift of a long life.
This is contrary to African culture in which age, being symbolic
of invaluable experience, is a thing to be cherished and celebrated.
In our culture, to be ripe in
age and witness the achievements of one’s offsprings is regarded as a
rare blessing.
Traditionally, through the extended family system, the young are
expected to ensure that the aged are provided for, and it is also
believed that accepting such responsibilities will usher in success. The culture of being our
brothers’ keeper however seems to have undergone an unprecedented
transformation.
While the young who should
have taken care of the aged are unemployed, the rural areas where the
extended family system subsists, are also being depleted of their
population, particularly the youth who drift in thousands toward urban
centres in desperate search for greener pastures. Coupled with a sagging
economy, whose adverse effects are already evident in the quality of life,
is the escalation of terminal diseases and drug abuse which have rendered
the life expectancy of the average Nigerian to barely 45 years.
Nigerians are dying when they
still have a lot to contribute to national growth, but they are also
leaving behind elderly relatives who might have been counting on their
support. Why such a sudden
derailment? Why are
Nigerians aging fast, sometimes beyond recognition?
Aging is the deterioration of
vital organs of the human body.
As people advance in age, the bones become brittle and the
endocrine glands are tired. The nervous system becomes erratic and the
bowel sluggish. The
denouement of this chain of developments is ailment of all sorts:
arthritis, cataracts, hypertension, stroke, arteriosclerosis, diabetes,
hormone deficiency, cirrhosis, etc.
Such unhealthy conditions are
more transparent where the quality of life is poor, or where the level of
medical awareness is low or where the healthcare delivery system is
ineffective. It ought to be
stressed that later life management is cost-intensive and definitely
calls for deliberate policies on the part of government. The requirements include
adequately equipped geratic units in hospitals, sufficient number of
specially-trained nurses to handle the elderly, dental accessories,
psycho-motor, visual and aural aids, and a wholesome living environment.
In advanced countries such as
the United States of America and Canada, the welfare package of senior
citizens (retirees of 65 years and above) include health insurance and
reduced tariffs in respect of transportation, entertainment and
shelter. But in our own
country, the elderly are yet to be included in the new National Health
Insurance Scheme. Payments
of gratuities are even untimely.
For instance, about 2000
retired teachers were recently reported to have died nationwide as a
result of hardship arising from non-payment of their benefits. This is not all. The Chairman of the National
Electric Power Authority (NEPA), Alhaji Umaru Ndanusa, revealed recently
that the authority’s N100 billion pension funds and gratuity could not be
accounted for. Also, former
Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma disclosed that the tragedy
of the retired military personnel saga was that a shadowy syndicate was
mismanaging the military pension funds.
Coming on the heels of similar
claims that N45 billion had been declared missing from NITEL’s pension
funds, while pensions owed retirees of the Nigerian Railway Corporation
(NRC have reportedly risen to N4.272 billion, there is fresh anxiety
about the nation’s deepening pension crisis. One would have thought that the care of these old
people who devoted their time and energy to the service of the Nigerian
nation would be prominent in the list of national priorities and
budgetary allocations made to accommodate periodic review of
pensions. However, it is
interesting to note that some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such
as the Nigerian Society for the Welfare of the Elderly, are helping.
Be that as it may, a lot more
needs to be done especially by the government. This writer is of the view that reports of the various
pension panels and the telling realities of our current existence are
enough for government to reform the nation’s wobbling superannuation
scheme. Since the present
state of the economy makes it pretty difficult for a good number of
elderly people to find committed relatives to lean on, Nigeria may, as a
short term measure, try the alternative that countries such as Britain
and France have successful explored.
The obsolete Old People’s
Homes in some states should be rehabilitated and more of such homes
established. The Homes will
no doubt provide solace, care and companionship for some elderly people
without able relatives.
Such Homes should however be adapted to our cultural or religious
environment. While putting
in place such establishments, government must start working on long-term
solutions consisting not only of paving the way for youths to develop
into responsible adults, but also adequately funding public healthcare. Government must also make plans
for future pensioners
presently serving the nation under very stressful conditions.
|
