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THE National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) has trained 51 stakeholders from over 24 states to boost care for older persons in the country.
The Director-General, NSCC, Dr Emem Omokaro, said this at a one-day capacity enhancement workshop for Stakeholders Consultative Forum and State Directors on Social Welfare in Abuja on Friday.
The training, organised by the centre, is tagged: “‘Capacity Enhancement Workshop for NSCC Stakeholders Consultative Forum and State Directors on Social Welfare, Ageing, Policy Planning Implementation”.
Omokaro said that capacity development was a necessity for mandate delivery.
“You were not brought all the way to come and get inaugurated and not equip you with some measures of knowledge and information about NSCC, our mandate and vision.
“And also with the overall goal which is to improve the quality of lives of senior citizens.
“And today, you have the opportunity to look at those issues that drive the vulnerability of older people and why we need to do what we need to do, and do it quickly.
“The issues we will discuss, I believe will change some perspective, especially the way we look at older people when it comes to inclusion in terms of development,” she said.
The NACC boss said that the stakeholders would think and consider why policy and legislation were needed.
According to her, until stakeholders understand why a policy is necessary, like a lifeline, then they will not drive it with all hearts.
”Policy without legislation will not lead to sustainable achievement and success, because another government may come and push it aside.
“So, basically, why we are here is to help us understand certain basic issues that will enable us to do the work better and to persuade, because without knowledge you cannot drive advocacy,” she said.
Omokaro further said that the stakeholders needed knowledge to campaign, and also substance that would make them win by superior argument as well as negotiate.
She noted that people may give thousand reasons why the budget could not cover old people.
“So you need knowledge to position yourself in such a way that you will convince them with facts. I am happy that you came with an open mind to learn.
“And at the end, we should be able to have our Terms of Reference and say that indeed, NSCC is there to deliver on its mandate.
“NSCC wants you also to partner with every state and build capacity so that we could effectively partner in terms of strategy, plans, monitoring and evaluation sharing,” Omokaro said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum was inaugurated during the 365 days commemoration of the centre. (NAN)
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Tags: Emem Omokaro NSCC
