Saturday 31st, 2013, BLIFA sustainable empowerment for the aged Coordinators’ conference
Stories from: Abraham Akpabio – Lagos
As Reported By: Pioneer Newspaper, Akwa Ibom, Uyo. September 23, 2013. Page 20
The Akwa Ibom State Government has promised to work and partner with Better Life Initiative For The Aged (BLIFA), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO caring for the aged and offering sensitive humanitarian services to the society.
Special Adviser to the Akwa Ibom State governor on Millennium Development Gold, MDGs, Hon. Steve Akpan made this known in his remarks at a one day sustainable empowerment co-ordinators conference 2013 organized by BLIFA in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently.
“The state government acknowledges the good gesture by BLIFA especially as it touches the lives of the aged in the society. This is the kind of initiative government needs, good thinking, focus and dedication to humanitarian service.
“We want other NGOs in the state and country in general to emulate this kind of gesture, initiative for a happy and better society”, Akpan said.
The S. A. to the governor on MDGs who was represented at the conference by the MDGs Planner, Mrs. Ime David, said many have benefited from the MDGs in the state, adding that government would continue to encourage people of the state on its MDGs project.
Presenting a paper on, ‘caring for the aged in Akwa Ibom State, past, present and future’, guest lecturer, Dr. Ini Etuk, commended the Akwa Ibom State government for giving attention to the aged, especially in the provision of free health care services.
Etuk who is a lecturer in the Department of History and International Studies, University of Uyo, said for the society and government to continue to enjoy the wise wisdom and blessings of the elderly, government should put in place social security mechanisms, centres for the elderly to enable them cope with the challenges that come with aging.
He also commended for the establishment of a department of Gerontology or Ageing studies in the Nigerian tertiary institutions as it is done in advanced countries to engender research, studies and appropriate findings to enrich knowledge on the aging population and to provide requisite guidance to government policy formulation and implementation as well as enlist the support of corporate bodies and organizations with regard to matters which concern the aged in our society.
“We will all grow old some day and we will need care and support. Let us sow good seeds. After all, they gave birth to tus, weaned us and brought us up. We therefore owe them the duty of care “mbak akam” (to avoid curse). We need to give them “befitting living” rather than “befitting burial”, he advised.
He commended BLIFA for the initiative and urged other NGOs and churches to take a cue from them and advance the cause of humanity by caring fro the aged in the society.
Also in his remarks, BLIFA director of communication, Mr. Sam Ekandem, said the objectives of the group’s sustainable empowerment for the aged co-ordinators conference was primarily to build on the existing relationships with the co-ordinators.
He task participants to come up with projects and programmes in their communities that will be sustainable, as the proceeds from the project will also be given to the aged regularly instead of the quarterly visitation.
Earlier in her address, BLIFA initiator, Lion Ime Inyang said the conditions of the aged in terms of care in the time past attracted her attention as it was a social stigmatization that virtually all aged peopled especially in remote communities were suspected to be witches and wizards and therefore neglected even by their children and wards.
“I was moved by what I saw in an event held for the old people, organized by MEE Mofedamijo of a blessed memory and got motivated to organize a Christmas party for the same old people in my Local Government Area, and the success of this gave birth to BLIFA NGO”; she said.