Abia State Government has clarified the true context, intent, and content of Law No. 4 of 2025, which establishes the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre, in order to properly inform the public and dispel misconceptions surrounding the law.
A statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, said the legislation is a deliberate and compassionate response by the administration of Governor Alex Otti, to the growing population of elderly persons in Abia State and the long-standing absence of a structured, government-backed system dedicated to their care, welfare, and social inclusion.
Kanu said for decades, senior citizens have contributed significantly to the development of Abia communities, economy, and families.
The State government acknowledged that ageing often comes with health challenges, social isolation, and economic vulnerability, hence Law No. 4 of 2025 becomes imperative to act as a social protection policy, not political symbolism, aimed at restoring dignity, care, and relevance to elderly citizens.
Speaking further on the importance of the law, Kanu noted that it formally establishes the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre as a government-recognized institution.
Abia government added that the Centre is not a retirement home nor a place of abandonment, rather, it serves as a co-ordinated hub where senior citizens can access support services, engage socially, receive guidance, participate in recreational and skills-sharing activities, and benefit from structured welfare programmes.
While expressing hope on what the Centre stands to achieve, the state government added that with this Centre, the government now has a unified platform to plan, co-ordinate, and implement elderly-focused interventions across the state, replacing the previously fragmented and informal approach to senior citizens’ welfare.
Kanu said, “The Centre is mandated to promote the welfare, dignity, and quality of life of senior citizens by providing social, psychological, and health-related support, while also serving as an advocacy platform for the protection of their rights. It is empowered to develop programmes, maintain a reliable database of elderly persons, facilitate access to healthcare and social welfare schemes, and collaborate with relevant ministries, agencies, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and development partners.
”Administratively, the Centre operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to ensure accountability, transparency and alignment with the state’s broader social welfare policies to ensure accountability, transparency, and alignment with the state’s broader social welfare policies. Funding is to be sourced through lawful budgetary allocations, grants, and approved donations, in line with due process.
”Law No. 4 of 2025 is a bold and humane policy choice that places Abia State among progressive states that recognize ageing as a governance issue and institutionalize care for senior citizens.
”It is important to emphasise that the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre is not a free money distribution scheme. Rather, it is a structured social welfare and support system designed to provide care, coordination, dignity, and inclusion for senior citizens, not direct cash handouts.”
Abia Govt Clarifies True Intent of Law Establishing Senior Citizens Centre
By Nwoko
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