Abia State Finalizes Key Policy to Bolster Senior Citizens' Welfare

The Abia State Government has successfully concluded a comprehensive review of its draft policy framework, designed to facilitate the implementation of the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre Law No. 4 of 2025. This significant development culminated in a two-day stakeholders’ validation workshop held in Umuahia, which wrapped up on Tuesday. The workshop, themed “Stronger Policies, Greater Inclusion, A Brighter Future for Our Senior Citizens,” was a collaborative effort between the state government and its Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection.

Dr. Victor Chima, the Social Policy Officer for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Enugu Field Office, highlighted the critical importance of this ageing policy. He noted its strong alignment with the state’s broader social protection agenda. Dr. Chima affirmed UNICEF’s commitment, along with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), to continually support Abia State in strengthening its social protection systems and ensuring their effective execution. “As we move ahead, UNICEF and ILO will continuously support the state towards ensuring that the social protection system and landscape is both strengthened, advanced, and also adequately implemented,” he stated.

Providing insight into the initiative’s background, Dr. Otti Nwaka, who serves as the Coordinator and Facilitator of the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre, explained that the concept originated from the National Senior Citizens Centre in Abuja before being adopted by Abia. He stressed that reviewing the policy was indispensable for the proper functioning of the existing law. Dr. Nwaka remarked, “So, Abia State has an Abia State Senior Citizens Centre law. So, without the policy, the law can’t work, hence the review of the policy today.”

In her welcoming address, Mrs. Ngozi Blessing Felix, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, emphasized the necessity for institutions and development partners to collaborate to prevent the neglect of older persons. She elaborated that the proposed policy framework aims to provide a structured approach for safeguarding and advancing the well-being of residents aged 60 and above. According to Commissioner Felix, “Institutions and other partners can work together to ensure that growing old does not mean becoming invisible or being left to fend for oneself.”

Commissioner Felix also revealed that her ministry had conducted extensive consultations with various stakeholders from both the formal and informal sectors. These consultations were integral to developing a policy that effectively addresses the diverse needs of older persons across Abia State. She reiterated that the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre Law, enacted in 2025, establishes a fundamental basis for a coordinated and sustained response to the challenges faced by the elderly. “Our task through the draft policy is to build on that foundation and translate the commitment to their welfare into a coordinated programme of action across the state,” she affirmed.

Furthermore, Felix proudly announced that Abia is one of only four states in Nigeria that have successfully enacted laws or established specific legal frameworks dedicated to guaranteeing the protection, inclusion, and care of older persons. She concluded by stating the government’s resolve to ensure the policy transcends being merely a document, transforming into an actionable framework that genuinely improves the lives of senior citizens. “We are advancing this course by ensuring that we do not just have a law that is in blueprints, but that we have a policy that is actionable,” she declared.