The Abia State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting senior citizens from abuse, neglect and abandonment, stressing that residents aged 60 and above deserve dignity, care and protection.

The government made this known in Umuahia during a workshop organised to review and develop a policy framework for implementing the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre Law No. 4 of 2025.

The Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix, who presented the government’s policy at the workshop, condemned the abandonment and mistreatment of elderly people, saying they should not be left to suffer or be subjected to ridicule.

Felix explained that her ministry was leading efforts to ensure the state’s senior citizens policy was developed through consultations with relevant stakeholders across the formal and informal sectors.

“The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation is actually leading this process to ensure that the Abia State Senior Citizens Policy comes to light. We have had a series of consultations with stakeholders, including critical stakeholders from both the formal and informal sectors, on this policy, knowing that it serves all older persons in Abia State aged 60 years and above,” she said.

She noted that the enactment of the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre Law, 2025, had established a legal foundation for a more coordinated and sustainable approach to addressing the needs of older residents.

According to the commissioner, the government intends to translate the law, already signed by Governor Alex Otti, into an actionable policy that will guide efforts to improve the welfare and protection of senior citizens across the state.

Also speaking at the workshop, a representative of the Abia State Ministry of Justice, Uwaoma Ajike, assured participants that the ministry would provide the necessary legal support to protect elderly people in communities across Abia.

Similarly, the Abia State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Okoro Ogbonna, said retired and retiring workers deserved adequate protection and reassurance from society.

Ogbonna commended the state government for enacting the senior citizens law, describing it as an important step towards addressing the welfare concerns of older people.