- Proposed law on older citizens’ rights and privileges is long overdue.
In the immediate past, it was a thing of honour to be an old citizen in Nigeria. The old citizens were respected and served as custodians of the people’s culture and tradition. Their opinions counted as some civil cases were referred to them, especially in the traditional settings, which they disposed of creditably with their benefit of hindsight and elderly wisdom. Younger people stood up for them in buses and other places in deference to their age. But over time, the loss of values that became the lot of the country soon caught up with the way we treat these old people. Most of what constituted their rights and privileges were gradually eroded, until we got to the present sorry pass where nothing is sacrosanct and age is seen, especially by many youths, as mere statistics. Those of them who served in the public service soon became victims of the dysfunctional system that have made most governments treat their pensions and gratuity with levity, forcing them to queue for endless pension verifications. Many of them have died on these pension queues, losing their final entitlements in the process.
Although forgotten and forsaken for so long, respite appears on the way for this category of Nigerians with the Older Persons (Rights and Privileges) Bill 2020, sponsored by the Senate Committee on Women Affairs. The committee has opened the book of remembrance to cater to the special needs of these abandoned Nigerians through a proposed legislation titled, “A bill for an Act to provide certain rights and privileges for older persons, to provide health, economic reliefs and to protect their social and related matters.” The proposed law has passed second reading on the floor of the Senate.
Among other things, it makes it mandatory for the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to issue certificate of older person to anyone who has attained the age of 60 years, for them to qualify for all the rights and privileges contained in the proposed legislation. The goodies include 50 per cent discount on land, sea and air transportation. Commercial vehicle operators, management of airlines and shipping lines are to ensure compliance.
Those of them willing to pursue educational programmes also have the choice of doing so. According to the bill, “Older persons shall be entitled to educational assistance to pursue post-secondary, tertiary, post-tertiary vocational and technical education, as well as short term courses for retooling in both public and private schools.” Towards this end, the federal and or state ministries of education shall, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations set up programmes to facilitate their access to formal and informal education.
To ensure that business organisations that are to provide services to the older persons at subsidised rates recoup their money, ”All utility companies, hotels, holiday resorts referred to in this subsection shall file documentation of discounted geriatric services to the Federal Inland Revenue Service in their tax returns for commensurate reliefs.”
The bill also provides for sanctions, including N2m fine, against any corporate organisation that discriminates against older persons as against six months imprisonment for any individual who does same against the older citizens. Moreover, whoever issues certificate of older person to anyone below the age of 60 is liable to one-year jail term. Another good provision of the bill is its prohibition of turning these people to beggars or soliciting alms in order to take care of them. Violators of this provision are liable to six months imprisonment.
The proposed law is a good development, especially in a country that has no special provision for these vulnerable citizens. It is even the more commendable coming from the Senate Committee on Women Affairs. In many homes, it is the women that take care of the older citizens, so, it is not surprising that the initiative is coming essentially from a committee for women affairs.
In the developed countries, there are all kinds of reliefs for this category of persons, be it on the roads, in public vehicles, etc. Governments at all levels take special care of their health, feeding and housing needs, unlike in our clime where they are abandoned to their fates at a time they are supposed to be reaping the fruits of their past labour.
However, we want to see the proposed law as a good start. We have to return to the past where the older citizens were treated with due respect and with the understanding that, ultimately, anyone who does not die young will be like them someday. Governments must ensure that public buildings, roads, etc. have facilities that will facilitate their use by the older citizens. There has to be a general change of attitude towards them, including prompt payment of their pensions. Old age is not a disease; it is indeed, a privilege.
