GCA seeks establishment of senior citizens’ centres to boost jobs creation

The Ghalp Caregivers Academy (GCA) has urged the Federal Government to establish national senior citizens centres to training and care for senior citizens in the country.

Following the signing into law of the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2018 and the Legislative Houses (Power and Privileges) 2018 by President Muhammad Buhari in January, GCA, a non-governmental organisation has tasked government to match its policy on the importance of caring for the citizens with action by establishing the centres.    

The National Senior Citizens Center Act, 2018, establishes the National Senior Citizens Center in the country to cater for the needs of the senior citizens.

President of the group, David Olalekan, noted that establishing the centres would create over 720,000 jobs yearly, stating that it was mandatory to establish such homes in all the local councils in each state where up to 20,000 caregivers would work in homes and hospitals.

Olalekan, who spoke in Ibadan during the graduation of over 700 American Caregiver Association (ACA), trained and certified professionals, stressed that the act has further opened Nigerians to better global opportunities‎ and career in care giving, in Nigeria and overseas.

He said the Academy has the franchise to train people in the West Africa for ACA certification.

Speaking, Head, Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan and Professor of Industrial Relations, Ifeanyi Onyeonoru, who lamented the level of insecurity in the country, explained that the insecurity could be traced to loss of the social values.

He attributed the increasing insecurity in Nigeria to the vulnerable and youths who lack cared and were being used as thugs and other nefarious activities.

Onyeonoru who was the special guest at the event said: “Boko Haram thrives because there are youths uncared for, who are available to be used. It boils down to parents and the society to take care of their wards.

“Human security is a sine qua non for national security, we must care for the vulnerable, if it is not done now, it will lead to more crisis.”

To assist government in creating jobs, Olalekan said: “We want to start with Oyo State‎ here, and we believe that if we get the opportunity to train people who are looking for jobs, they can be absorbed into all the homes and that will be taking a big burden off the government in the area of jobs creation.

“In Oyo State alone, over 20,000 can be engaged, some of them will work in the facilities that will be established and some can work in hospitals to stand in the gap for doctors and nurses.

“We believe that it is possible if the government at all levels, wives and other institutions can make it their pet projects.”