By Mercy Aikoye
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has expressed support for a bill that seeks to provide free medical services, tax exemptions, and stipends for senior citizens. The bill aims to protect the rights and welfare of older persons in Nigeria.
The bill is currently undergoing public hearing, organized by the Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development. Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, Chairman of the Committee, said the bill reflects the collective responsibility to ensure that older persons receive dignity, respect, and support.
Hon. Abbas Tajudeen noted that existing legislations have not fully addressed the needs of older persons. “This Older Persons (Rights and Privileges) bill has become necessary because existing legislations… have not fully taken care of the peculiar needs of older persons and their rights are constantly abridged by others,” he said.
The bill proposes free medical services in government facilities, tax exemptions, and stipends for senior citizens. It also aims to protect older persons from abandonment and abuse. Hon. Tajudeen said the bill will provide a formal legal structure to safeguard the welfare of older persons.
Various stakeholders, including the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) and the National Pension Commission (NPC), have contributed to the bill’s development. NSIPA’s representative urged that the bill be harmonized with the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2018.
The NPC recommended reviewing certain provisions of the bill to ensure contextual correctness and sustainability. “We recommend that the source of funding and domiciliation of the dedicated funds for payment of the stipends should be determined and codified,” the NPC representative said.
The NPC also suggested mandating participation in social security schemes to make the bill’s provisions sustainable. “We recommend the insertion of a provision that would mandate the participation of Nigerians in both formal and informal employment to some social security scheme,” the representative said.
The bill will undergo further review and deliberation before being passed into law. The House of Representatives is committed to ensuring that the bill is passed into law to protect the rights and welfare of older persons in Nigeria.
