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RMAFC, NSCC Advocate Bold Reforms to Ensure Dignified Aging in Nigeria

Published

2 months ago

July 31, 2025

Joel Ajayi

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aging and healthcare sector converged today at the Dr. M. B. Shehu Auditorium, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in Abuja, for the First Healthy Ageing Symposium, Exposition and Awards, to promote structured, inclusive, and dignified aging systems for senior citizens.

The symposium was organised by the Centre for African American Research Studies (CAARS) in partnership with DCL Africa and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). It brought together some policymakers, researchers, development partners, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to deliberate on the theme: “Ageing with Dignity and Working with Purpose.”

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu OFR, the Federal Commissioner representing Kwara State, Hon. Ismail Mohammed Agaka, welcomed participants and commended the organizers for the choice of theme, noting that it could not have come at a better time.

He described the programme as a life-changing initiative and stated that its collaboration with respected government and civil society organisations underscores the growing recognition of aging as a national priority. According to him, “The decision to organise this important life-changing programme with these very important institutions speaks to the acceptance your Centre enjoys and the value proposition attributed to your work.”

Highlighting the increasing financial burden of healthcare on ordinary Nigerians, the Chairman noted that the cost of accessing quality healthcare has gone far beyond the income of the average citizen, which according to him which has negatively affected life expectancy. He said, “This situation has plagued the state of health of most Nigerians and getting reliable information required to prevent sickness and ailments would mean a lot of savings to us all.”

While acknowledging federal interventions such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, he emphasized the need for sustainable, grassroots-oriented programmes like this symposium. He added that the Commission’s decision to host the event demonstrates its commitment to a healthy and productive workforce.

In her keynote address, Dr. Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe, Director General of the National Senior Citizens Center (NSCC)—represented by Dr. Ahmed Tijjani Ajayi—urged policymakers to act urgently to address the growing institutional gaps affecting older citizens. “Too many older persons face poverty, isolation, neglect, and a profound loss of dignity, especially in rural areas. Dignified aging must not be precarious; it is not a privilege—it is a right.” He posited

He identified seven key pillars needed to build a responsive aging system in Nigeria: legal and policy frameworks, sustainable financing, community-based institutional infrastructure, geriatric workforce development, technology, and social inclusion. “Societies that honour their elders build stronger communities, healthier families, and more compassionate nations,” Dr.Tijani Ajayi said.

According to him, the NSCC is already implementing several initiatives including the Geriatric Social Care Community Extension Support Services, medical housing programs, and assistive device distribution, aimed at improving the quality of life for older persons. He also revealed that the agency was working with the National Assembly and the Institute of Justice to harmonize elder protection laws and develop a national ageing policy that is both inclusive and enforceable.

Dr. Ajayi also announced the launch of a digital literacy program where youth volunteers train elderly citizens in basic technology use and sanitation/environmental projects where older persons serve as ambassadors for healthy communities. “We must change the narrative, older people are not burdens—they are national assets.” He said.

The event featured several technical paper presentations by resource persons such as: Dr. Maimouna Diop Ly, a renowned physician and nutrition specialist who spoke on nutrition and longevity;

Dr. Mories Atoke, CEO of ABC Health, who made a presentation on healthcare innovations for aging populations and Dr. Hanem Abdelraouf, who delivered insights into gender approaches to elder care within African and Middle Eastern contexts.

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Tin City Warms Up for President Tinubu as North Central Embraces Renewed Hope

Published

1 day ago

October 4, 2025

The Gleamer

By Sunday Dare

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu berths on the plains and rolling hills that dominate the Jos landscape tomorrow, he will meet a people resourceful, friendly and resilient but weighed down by conflict, yet unbowed by adversity.

So, tommorrow, national attention turns to the Plateau- a locale laden with history and rich with potential. From the tin mines that gave the city of Jos its name, to the Irish potato, strawberry farms and beetroot plantations that dot its landscape, Jos remains a land of promise—truly the Home of Peace and Tourism.

Jos is also deeply woven into Nigeria’s political history. Plateau is home to towering figures such as Generals JD Gomwalk, Yakubu Gowon, John Shagaya, Joshua Dogoyaro, and Jerry Useni. Solomon Lar, Senator Ibrahim Mantu and numerous others also stand tall in the annals Plateau political history.

Jos was also the rallying ground of the famed Langtang Mafia—a group of influential military officers from Langtang in Plateau State who, at the height of their power, played a significant role in Nigeria’s political and military affairs.

The story of Jos is both exciting and excruciating. The city lost its innocence some two and a half decades ago, when the popular Terminus Market was reduced to rubble through acts of arson and looting.

Thus at the turn of the millennium by 2001, Jos—and by extension, Plateau—was thrown into a cycle of unending conflict. Ethnic tensions, clothed in religious garb, tore through the city and spread across the state, dragging Jos into an abyss of violence, almost of Kigali proportions. Peace gave way to war, and tourism jaunts became undertakings to the undertaker.

Yet Jos has never surrendered. Every time it is written off, it rises again—scarred, but resilient. With its multi-ethnic, multi-religious fabric, the Plateau continues to trudge on in pursuit of peace, development, and egalitarian ideals.

It was here, in Jos, that Nigeria’s democratic resurgence was birthed. The historic SDP convention, where late General Shehu Yar’Adua and Chief Moshood Abiola held sway, took place in this city. Jos gave political life to Abiola, our hero of democracy in 1992

Now, thirty three years later, another hero of democracy and of the June 12 struggle returns to the Plateau. President Tinubu’s return and visit to Plateau State is not just to honor the transition to glory of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, the mother of the APC National Chairman.

It is a visit that carries deeper meaning—one of empathy, solidarity, and renewed hope for a people who have endured decades of turmoil. It is a mission to preach peace, console the bereaved, bind wounds, and assure Plateau of its central place in the Nigerian project.

Mr President comes not just to mourn, but to reconnect. He comes to parley with the North Central, to commiserate with a people who have suffered, and to extend the hand of renewed hope. That Renewed Hope is laying a solid foundation as evidenced by Naira at N1,455 per dollar, rising Foreign Reserves at $43bn, Trade surplus heading for N25tr. Revenues up 411% and Inflation down to about 20 per cent. Over 600,000 students benefiting from NELFUND.

This visit is more than ceremonial. It is a journey into the very soul of a people who have known pain, yet remain resilient; a land scarred by conflict, yet still brimming with hope and promise. As the Tin City opens its arms, Jos will not just receive the President—it will receive a message of solidarity, healing, and renewal.

Tomorrow is about remembering the glorious past, confronting the present, and charting a path to a peaceful and prosperous Plateau within a united Nigeria. With President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Jos once again stands at the intersection of history and destiny.

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