Senior citizens seek inclusion in capacity building, business enterprises

The Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Mrs Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe has appealed for effective inclusion of older persons in capacity building, business enterprises initiatives to enhance their capacity.

Akinyemi-Obe made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Mr Charles Odii in Abuja on Thursday.

She said the visit was to strengthen the already existing partnership with SMEDAN for access to business skills training and enterprise opportunities for senior citizens in Nigeria.

According to her, the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu is a Compelling directive for the inclusion of senior citizens into development initiatives in Nigeria.

“President Tinubu places emphasis on human capital development, social inclusion and economic resilience values which align perfectly with the mandate of NSCC and SMEDAN.

“We at the NSCC are committed to actualising this vision by unlocking new doors of opportunity for older persons – from enterprise to digital skills, from agriculture to services, and from mentorship to intergenerational knowledge sharing.

“But, we cannot do it alone, and this is why we are here today,” she said.

The D-G added: “With your support, we hope to facilitate special access to funding and business support for older entrepreneurs through senior-friendly loan windows and cooperatives.

“Let us jointly expand enterprise training across the six geopolitical zones, focusing on areas where older persons already have comparative advantage – agriculture, textiles, crafts, food processing, and more.

“Together, we can pioneer Senior Citizens’ Business and Innovation Hubs — safe, inclusive spaces where our elders can engage in economic activity, mentor young entrepreneurs, and remain productive members of society”.

While appreciating the partnership with SMEDAN brokered by her predecessor, she expressed the desire to deepen it, to better the lots of older persons

She observed that the partnership has begun to reshape the narrative – from one that sees ageing as a period of decline, to one that recognises and values the resilience, wisdom, and contributions of elders to national development.

Akinyemi-Obe, therefore, expressed confidence that NSCC-SMEDAN partnership would continually break barriers, touch lives and build an inclusive economy where no one, especially senior citizens; 60 years and above will be left behind.

In his response, the Director‐General of SMEDAN, Odii commended NSCC DG for the sustainable drive of the plights of senior citizens across the country.

Represented by Mr Onesi-Lawani Dabe, a Director in the DG’s Office, Odii assured that, within MSMEs space SMEDAN would always prioritise senior citizens for beneficial engagements.

Supreme news reports that the SMEDAN boss took NSCC director-general on a tour of the agency’s common facility centres within its headquarters.