The Dave Omokaro Foundation of Nigeria (DOF), an NGO says the population of older persons in the country will increase from an estimated 9.8 million in 2020 to 28 million in 2050. The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Emem Omokaro, disclosed this at the International Training Programme of Ageing Policy Formulation on Tuesday in…
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The Dave Omokaro Foundation of Nigeria (DOF), an NGO says the population of older persons in the country will increase from an estimated 9.8 million in 2020 to 28 million in 2050.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Emem Omokaro, disclosed this at the International Training Programme of Ageing Policy Formulation on Tuesday in Abuja.
Omakaro said that if proper provision was not put in place for the older adults ranging from 60 years and above after retirement it would affect the economy of the country in the future.
According to her, “world population prospect of the UN predicts that in spite of young population structure and rapidly growing rates of working age population, Africa particularly Nigeria will have 3.3 per cent growth of older person between 2020 and 2050.
She said that the growth rate of older persons was faster than the growth of the general population in Africa, adding that in Africa at 3.3 per cent growth rate the population of older persons would exceed 103 million in 2030.
“Specifically in Nigeria, the population and the absolute number of people entering the older age cohort of 60 years and above is on the increase.
“In absolute terms, the number of Nigerian older adults has consistently increased from 4.6 million in 1991 to 7 million in 2006, estimated at 9.8 million by 2020 and about 28 million in 2050.
“The high growth and rapidly increasing numbers present the gap between the projected increase and the parallel development of personnel needed to lead the delivery of services to older persons and also reflects the urgency for proactive policy action,’’ Omakaro said.
Omokaro said that the international training programme on ageing policy formulation was jointly organised by the International Institute on Ageing (INIA) UN-Malta and DOF.
She said that the essence of the programme was to expose and equip participants on emerging issues in demographic transitions and population ageing, challenges and opportunities.
Omokaro said that in African countries, particularly in regards to income security, healthcare, enabling environment, there was need for continued engagement of older persons in active and productive ventures.
She said that this programme targets participants from government, NGOs, research institutes, development partners, the media and the private sectors who had direct operational input into advocacy, policy and planning.
According to her, “DOF and INIA operate under a memorandum of understanding which has enlisted DOF among its worldwide collaboration network of organisations engaged in various capacity building.
INIA was set up by the UN Economic and Social Council as an institute to meet the need of trained personnel in the field of aging, especially from developing countries.
The institute was inaugurated on April 15, 1988 by the then UN Secretary General, Javier Perez de Cuellar. (NAN)
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