President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the take-off of the National Senior Citizens Centre with the appointment of Dr Emem Omokaro as Director-General.
He also approved the constitution of its 12-member board of the centre with immediate effect.
A presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Monday, said this was in line with Section 16 (2) (d) of the 1999 Constitution as amended which mandates the state to provide adequate social services and improve the quality of life of the elderly.
Shehu said the centre, established through the National Senior Citizens Centre Act 2017, was to cater for the needs of senior citizens (70 and above) in Nigeria.
He said persons of proven integrity from key ministries and organisations had also been appointed into its governing board to realize the noble objective and ensure its relevance and spread.
He said Buhari appointed AVM. M.A. Muhammad (rtd) as chairman of the board of the centre, with Mansur Kuliya, representing the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Dr Chris Osa Isokpunwu representing the Ministry of Health; Mr Umar Abdullahi Utono representing the Ministry of Works and Housing; and Dr John Olushola Magbadelo representing Ministry of Labour and Productivity as members.
Other members included: Mrs Bulus Friya Kimde representing the Ministry of Women Affairs; Mr Sani Ibrahim Mustapha representing the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate; Prof. Usman Ahmed representing the Geriatric Association of Nigeria; Mrs Victoria Onu representing the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons and three other stakeholders namely Dr Dorothy Nwodo, Professor Mohammed Mustapha Namadi and Dr Emem Omokaro who also serves as the Director General.
Buhari also approved the appointment of Ahmed Mustapha Habib as the new Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency to replace AVM Muhammad (rtd) who is now chairman of the National Senior Citizens Centre.
According to the statement, the appointments are for an initial period of four years.
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