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Director General of NSCC, Emem Omokaro, and the Executive Director of Policy House International, Taiwo Akerele at the ceremony.
- By Anietie Akpan
National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) has signed agreement with a Nigerian firm, Policy House International for donor and multi-lateral funding of its flagship initiatives and projects.
The Head, Corporate Affairs, Media and Communications,
Omini Oden in a statement at weekend said this is keeping with its mandate to identify the needs of senior citizens and cater for them inline with the NSCC Act 2017 on sourcing adequate funding for the Centre’s multi-sectoral programmes.
Director General of NSCC, Emem Omokaro, Ph.D at the ceremony in Abuja said no matter how potentially impactful the Plan of Action is, adequate funding is required to implement planned programmes.
She remained hopeful that the realization of the agreement’s objectives would accelerate the cascading of programmes to the sub-national levels, particularly the rural areas, where 70 percent of older persons reside.
The DG said Policy House is now a part of the vision of NSCC of truly making Nigeria an inclusive society where older people have the right to a life that is dignified, happy, secured and have the opportunity to continue to participate and be valued.
NSCC, Omokaro said, looks beyond government funding to realize set targets and its mandate geared towards improving the quality life of Older Persons and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current dispensation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On his part, the Executive Director of Policy House International, Taiwo Akerele said, in the 15 years of Policy House involvement in executing agreements with organizations and sourcing funds, they are yet to see the level of passion, knowledge and depth of impactful sector-wide approach to programming, seen at the NSCC.
Mr. Akerele said, there is in place at NSCC; established systems, mechanisms of engagement with stakeholders including older persons and dis-aggregated data on subject matter of programs interest in less than three years of existence as an agency of government.
He gave the assurance that with the wealth of experience by Policy House and working with public sector in Nigeria for over 15 years they will abide by the terms of the agreement.