REPORTER: PEACE AGBO
The Abia Government has pledged its commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of elderly persons in the state.
Briefing newsmen at the Government House Umuahia on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Okey Kanu said that Abia was among a few states in Nigeria with a legal framework dedicated to the welfare and protection of senior citizens.
According to her, the Abia State Senior Citizens Law No. 4 of 2025 guarantees healthcare, social protection and welfare support for elderly persons, especially the indigent and vulnerable who are 60 years and above but condemned the misconceptions surrounding the state’s Senior Citizens Law.
The Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Felix clarified the misconception that the law provides monthly stipends for all elderly residents of the state.
Mrs Felix noted that the ministry had established a committee to develop a policy framework that would guide the implementation of the law.
She emphasised that different interventions had been undertaken by the state government and the Office of the Wife of the Governor to support elderly persons, particularly those facing health and economic challenges.
