COSROPIN Organizes Old Persons Football Match, Seeks Review Of Nigeria’s Pension Law

By Admin

As part of its series of activities to commemorate this year’s United Nations International Day of Older Persons, the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons In Nigeria, COSROPIN, has organized a Football Match between olders persons and Mrakana Football Club of Dawaki Abuja.

The football match which ended 2-2 is to further enable older persons to engage in social activities towards improving their wellbeing, welfare, reduce depression and isolation as well as making them feel a sense of belonging in the society.

Speaking after the football match, the President of COSROPIN, Senator Eze Ajoku, OFR, expressed delight that the older persons who participated in the football match were happy and excited for exercising their body for a healthy living and proving that they have not expired.

“According to the scripture, a merry heart is like medicine, those whose BP were up are now down, those who have diabetes by exercising, they’re utilizing the sugar, move our joints and flex our mussels. We’re very happy to organize this game and we’ll continue to organize programmes that will excite the older persons and make life more interesting for them ” He said.

In his words”This is one of the plans of COSROPIN to ensure that the welfare and their wellbeing are well taken care of because we have activities lined up to ensure that older persons can interact at this age, many people have turned their backs on them but COSROPIN is with them. As an Organization within the last one year , we have gone round 27 States , and in different communities, creating activities and socializing with them to enable those of them that have been isolated to be integrated into the society “.

Senator Ajoku used the opportunity of the football match to appeal to the Federal Government to look towards the direction of older persons in the country by putting in place measures to cushion the effects of current economic hardship facing greater percentage of them. Some of them could not turn up to watch the match due to high cost of transportation following the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.

He equally called for the review of Pension Law so that pensioners can be given up to 75 percent of their retirement benefits on they day they retire because they are old enough to manage their resources.

“Many pensioners are not receiving their pay and we have over 150 pensioners who have come to us to help them because they have retired over a year and they’ve not gotten their pension which is not good enough ” the President of COSROPIN stated.

According to him, in other countries that we’re trying to emulate in terms of law and policies, Government ensure that they provide older persons with modern amenities but in Nigeria nothing is provided and there are no rights and privileges for older persons and nobody bothered but COSROPIN cares and will continue to champion and promote the welfare and wellbeing of older persons in the country.

“As voice of older persons, we’re appealing to Government to be more pro active in the care of older persons by considering them for social and income securities .We understand the Federal Government is planning to support two million Nigerians and from the list of beneficiaries, we can guess that they will not be older person but those who have connections in Government to include names of thrir relatives and this is not good enough” He pointed out.

Senator Ajoku said COSROPIN that is in all the States of the Federation, and known to be working with older persons we were not contacted in creating this list so older persons may not be considered to be part of the two million Nigerians that will be benefiting from that Federal Government’s support programme.

“We are never consulted, we are never involved, as National NGO known to be working with older persons across the states and having psrtnered eith government in many programs we were not given any opportunity to submit a single name of older person for that list, therefore we’re appealing to the Federal Government to consider NGOs that are working with Government when they make decisions like this and not through one of its Agencies where people just compile the names of their relations, friends and associates”. He emphasized.

While commending the Federal Government for the initiative, Senator Ajoku called for the review the list of its two million support programme to reflect the inclusion of older persons most especially through the input of members of COSROPIN nationwide because they are the poorest of the poor in the country.

One of the members of COSROPIN, a 72 years old Clergyman, Reverend Remigius Ugwuanya., who participated in the friendly football match said the game makes him to remember his days in the field of play as a young man.

“I’m also using this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to always give priority to COSROPIN programmes and activities by including it in their plans and budget so that the ageing men and women will have a lot of things to improve their welfare and wellbeing” He said

In his words “Like today now, we have a lot of fun through this football match because it was an opportunity given to us to come and showcase our age long talent and doing this from time to time will definitely ensure healthy ageing and living” .

Also speaking, a female participant and 69 years old, Mrs Angnes Ijeru who scored one of the goals for COSROPIN through penalty expressed joy over the football match.

“This is an opportunity of mental relaxation and it’s fun playing football with fellow older people and I’m also urging the Federal Government to give us more attention and support to enable older persons contribute their wealth of knowledge to the progress and development of the country as well as giving us a sense of belonging in the society”She added

On his part, a Youth and Player of the Marakana Dawaki Football Club , Chuks Jacob commended COSROPIN for organizing the novelty football match

He advised the younger generation most especially youths to always show love, care and support to older persons as everyone will one day gets old adding that old age is not a disease but a blessings.