Buhari Approves Senior Citizens Centre’s Take-off
AVM Mohammed chairs Board
Habib emerges new NEMA boss
BY EDMOND ODOK – Cheering news has come the way of Nigeria’s elderly as President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the immediate take-off of the newly established National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) with AVM Muhammadu Alhaji Mohammed (rtd) appointed as its first Board chairman.
AVM Mohammed is the immediate past Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). He has already been replaced at the Agency by Ahmed Mustapha Habib as the new helmsman.
For the NSCC to take off smoothly, President Buhari also okayed the immediate constitution of a 12-member board to manage its affairs for the next four years.
A Presidency statement said the Centre was passed into law as the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2017 to cater for the needs of senior citizens (70 and above) in the country.
The development is in line with Section 16 (2) (d) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution as amended that mandates the State to provide adequate social services and improve the quality of life for the elderly.
According to the statement, individuals of proven integrity from key ministries and organisations have been appointed into the Centre’s Governing Board in order to realize its noble objective as well as ensure relevance and spread
Aside AVM Muhammad (rtd) as the Board Chairman, the President also appointed Mansur Kuliya to represent the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Dr Chris Osa Isokpunwu – representing the Federal Ministry of Health; Mr Umar Abdullahi Utono – representing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; and Dr John Olushola Magbadelo – representing Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity as members.
Also on the Board are: Mrs Bulus Friya Kimde – representing the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs; Mr Sani Ibrahim Mustapha – representing the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD); and Professor Usman Ahmed – representing the Geriatric Association of Nigeria.
Other Board members include: Arc. Mrs Victoria Onu – representing the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons (CORSOPIN) as well as three other stakeholders, Professor Mohammed Mustapha Namadi, Dr Dorothy Nwodo, and Dr Emem Omokaro who will serve as Director General of the Centre
The statement explained that all the appointments will last for an initial period of four years.
