By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, today, has said plans have been concluded for the establishment of modern community day care centres for the elderly in the three senatorial districts to further boost their welfare and interactions.

Ambode who disclosed this at the commemoration of the International Day of the older persons, in Alausa, Ikeja, added that land had been allocated in Epe, Badagry and Alimosho areas for the construction.

Ambode

Ambode, speaking through his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Idiat Adebule at the commemoration, expressed determination of his administration to continue to engage older persons in the policies and programmes in order to achieve positive growth and development in the state.

The governor, said he relies on the wealth of experience of the older citizens to effectively deliver on its mandates, stressing that the success of his administration requires the collective participation of every resident of the state.

Ambode who underscored the contributions of the older citizens in guiding the coming generation and in sustaining the state’s legacies, promised that his administration would continue to prioritize the interest of the elders.

The Governor added that the recognition of the fact that no society will prosper or flourish where the wisdom and participation of the older persons is neglected, made his administration put necessary machinery in place to continue to cater for the older generation.

“The Lagos state government will continue to use this ocassion  to honour and celebrate the contributions and enormous potentials of older persons as we share with you all the collective vision of helping older adults reach their full health potential, live with dignity and participate fully in the society” the Governor assured.

He urged families and in particular, children to give the best to their older persons who had laboured to see them through thick and thin. “Old age is a play back time to give timely support to our parents and we must not renege in making them happy by giving back what they have freely sacrificed for us.”

The Commissioner for Youth and Social Dveleopment, Pharmacist (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf said that the celebration theme “Stepping into the future: Tapping the talents, contributions and participation of older persons in Society” is apt in view of the neglect being suffered by most of the older citizens as a result of their exclusion from scheme of things and effect of globalization being witnessed in every part of the world.

She emphasized that older persons play critical roles and possess a powerful force for social cohesion and integration in the face of multiple challenges in the present world.

She seized the ocassion to appeal to the media to relentlessly create awareness and sensitize the public on matters affecting the older persons.

The highlight of the event was the sharing of nostalgic experiences from the old persons on recreation, food, family values, preparedness, for marriage as well as what parenting was like while growing up.