The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has restated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improve the welfare of senior citizens in the country.
Alake said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikoro-Ekiti, his country home.
According to the minister, Tinubu is determined to accord dignity to senior citizens by giving them a new lease of life in line with his Renewed Hope Mantra.
Alake said that senior citizens had been adequately factored in all the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.
NAN reports that Alake had on Saturday, distributed 1,200 bags of rice to the elderly in Ekiti, irrespective of the political party they belonged to.
He thanked the president for listening to the people and demonstrating a caring heart, noting “1,200 bags of rice was made available to me and each minister to further supplement the established channels of distribution.
“We need to reach out to our aged fathers and mothers at times like this to demonstrate the Omoluabi values of taking care of the old in the community.
“In the spirit of inclusion, it is important that we channel this intervention to mainly elderly citizens.
” This is because they do not have the strength to compete for welfare goods such as these at the established centres. We have taken their inventory and we are delivering to them.
“Subsequent interventions will target other segments of the populace, such as widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities and students in higher institutions of learning,” he said.
The minister said that the onus was on the people to care for the elderly by focusing on issues affecting them, adding that every individual would grow old and require the support of the younger generation at some point in life.
“This is a bold step in re-writing our history as a people and changing the undesirable narrative of our lack of desire to adequately take care of our elderly population.
“Those of you that are very familiar with me can attest to the fact that at every opportunity, especially at events like this.
“I have always canvassed that nowhere in the world can government alone meet the needs of its citizens.
“Hence, the need to encourage partnership with high networth individuals, corporate organisations and non-governmental agencies to ensure the welfare of the citizens,” he said.
Alake enjoined all public spirited Ekiti people to lend a hand to the needy, adding that all hands must be on deck to support efforts to rid the state of hunger and poverty. NAN) (